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Burlington County, NJ Trash & Recycling: Pickup Rules & Schedules (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Policy
Carry In/Carry Out at designated parks/areas
County pickup
None at Carry In/Carry Out sites
Governing rule
Rule 25, Parks System Rules and Regulations
Board discretion
Designation can change per Rule 1
Enforcement
Disorderly persons / defiant trespass
Last amended
April 23, 2025, Resolution 2025-00249

Summary

Burlington County parks use a Carry In/Carry Out refuse policy at designated properties and areas: rather than county-provided trash pickup, visitors must remove all refuse generated by their use and dispose of it themselves. The Board of County Commissioners' Parks System Rules and Regulations set this as the operative pickup rule at those sites, distinct from full-service trash service elsewhere in the system.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Burlington County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

Certain Parks System properties or areas are designated as Carry In/Carry Out for the purpose of refuse removal. Visitors are required to remove all refuse that is generated by their use from these Parks System properties or areas for proper disposal.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: the cited page had not changed since it was quoted.

Full Breakdown

At Parks System properties designated Carry In/Carry Out, the county does not provide trash pickup or dumpster service; Rule 25 places the disposal burden squarely on the visitor, who must remove every piece of refuse generated during the visit and dispose of it off-site. This differs from parks with staffed maintenance and trash receptacles, where routine county collection still occurs. The rule sits under the REFUSE. POLLUTION. VANDALISM heading, which also bars anyone from depositing or dumping litter, trash, garbage, bottles, pollutants, or other substances or liquids in any Parks System property or its waters, and separately prohibits vandalizing, polluting, defacing, or disturbing park property and natural features.

Enforcement follows the same disorderly-persons framework used across the Rules and Regulations: a visitor who leaves refuse behind at a Carry In/Carry Out site can be asked to leave under Rule 36, is treated as a disorderly person under Rule 37, and faces prosecution as a defiant trespasser under Rule 38 if they refuse to go. The Board of County Commissioners, which adopted these rules under Resolution No. 328 on May 14, 2008 and most recently amended them April 23, 2025 under Resolution No. 2025-00249, retains discretion under Rule 1 to modify or waive any Parks System rule, including which specific properties or areas carry the Carry In/Carry Out designation at a given time.

Violations & Fines

Leaving refuse at a Carry In/Carry Out site in a Burlington County park violates Rule 25's removal requirement. Park staff can order a violator to leave under Rule 36; refusal to comply is treated as disorderly conduct under Rule 37 and as defiant trespass under Rule 38, both prosecutable to the fullest extent of the law.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do Burlington County parks provide trash cans for visitors?
Not everywhere. Some Parks System properties or areas are designated Carry In/Carry Out under Rule 25, meaning there is no trash pickup or receptacle service there; visitors must pack out everything they bring in. Other parks retain staffed trash collection, so check posted signage at the specific property before assuming county pickup applies.
What if I leave my trash behind at a Carry In/Carry Out park?
You are violating Rule 25's requirement to remove all refuse generated by your visit. Leaving trash behind can get you asked to leave under Rule 36 and treated as a disorderly person under Rule 37 if you refuse to go, with defiant-trespass prosecution under Rule 38 for continued refusal.
Does the Carry In/Carry Out rule apply to every Burlington County park?
No, only to properties or areas the county specifically designates that way under Rule 25. The Board of County Commissioners decides which sites carry that designation and can change it, since Rule 1 gives the Board discretion to modify or waive any Parks System Rules and Regulations provision as needed.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Burlington County

All Burlington County rules

Compare Burlington County to another location·View the New Jersey trash & recycling overview

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