Stamford, CT Trash & Recycling: Collection Schedule (2026)

Section 137-2 defines who gets city trash pickup and how. Any residential dwelling on the sanitary sewer system qualifies, and 'residential dwellings' is defined broadly under § 137-2(B) to include private homes, condominiums, multi-family buildings and cooperatives regardless of whether they're owner-occupied or rented. Collection happens at regular intervals that the Director of Operations sets, and the Director can also change the shape, size and location requirements for containers as new collection equipment comes into use, per § 137-2(A)(5). Waste must be bagged in plastic and placed in a container the Director has approved; broken glass, needles and other sharp objects must go into puncture-proof containers or packaging separately from ordinary trash, a rule that also covers curbside recycling bins.

Beyond the weekly pickup, § 137-2(C) requires an annual, citywide leaf pickup on a schedule the Director sets each year. Households that need backyard, rather than curbside, collection because of a physical handicap or other hardship are entitled to it under § 137-2(E), following rules the Director develops and the Board of Representatives approves. The Director also has general authority under § 137-2(D) to issue licensing and other regulations needed to enforce the collection article and keep operations sanitary.