Rochester, NY Trash & Recycling: Dumpster Rules (2026)

Zoning Code § 120-165 sets the placement and screening standard for dumpsters citywide. Any dumpster visible from a residential or open space district, or from a public street or walkway, must be completely screened with material at least as tall as the dumpster itself; the rule applies to every dumpster, including those used to store recyclable materials, whether the dumpster is publicly or privately owned. Refuse collection areas serving multifamily, commercial and industrial properties must be located in the side or rear yard of the building, never the front, and must be designed so deposited refuse is not visible from outside the enclosure and screening is dense and tall enough to fully hide the storage area, maintained at all times in a neat, orderly condition.

Enclosures must also be sited to give collection vehicles clear, convenient access. On the operational side, Refuse Code § 20-13 sets container standards for the commercial customers who use these dumpsters: businesses generating one cubic yard or less per collection use wheeled refuse containers rented from the City or purchased elsewhere, while those generating more than one cubic yard must provide watertight, flytight, vermin-resistant containers marked with the owner's name, subject to the Commissioner's order to clean, sanitize, paint or repair as needed. The Refuse Code's ALTERNATE CONTAINERS definition specifically lists dumpsters and roll-off boxes as the kind of City-issued substitute container commercial users may use in place of a standard bin.