Old Bridge, NJ Trash & Recycling: Pickup Rules & Schedules (2026)
Key Facts
- Set-out window
- 5:00 p.m. day before to 10:00 p.m. collection day
- Approved container
- Galvanized/plastic can, tight cover, or tied bags
- Rubbish bundle limit
- 50 pounds per bundle
- Broken container notice
- 10 days from Health Officer
- White goods pickup
- By appointment with Public Works
- Max general penalty
- $1,250 fine or 90 days
Summary
Old Bridge Township requires garbage to go out in a galvanized or plastic can with a tight-fitting cover, or in tied plastic bags, per Township Code § 429-2. Residents may set approved containers at the curb no earlier than 5:00 p.m. the evening before collection and must bring them back in by 10:00 p.m. on collection day, per § 429-4. Rubbish bundles may not exceed 50 pounds.
§ 429-2. Preparation for collection. A. Suitable approved containers for garbage pickups. For the purpose of this section, a "suitable approved container" shall mean a galvanized or plastic garbage can with handles and a tight-fitting cover, or plastic bags properly tied. ... ... § 429-4. Set-out time. ... All approved containers shall be placed for pickup not earlier than 5:00 p.m. of the day prior to collection and shall be removed not later than 10:00 p.m. of the day of collection.
Full Breakdown
Township Code Chapter 429 defines garbage as putrescible food waste and rubbish as combustible and noncombustible waste like paper, glass and cardboard; municipal waste covers both plus construction debris. Section 429-3 sets container duties by property type: one- to three-family homes must keep a sufficient number of approved cans or bags between pickups, owners of buildings with more than three units must supply and maintain containers for all tenants, and commercial and institutional occupants must do the same for their premises. If a container is broken or improper, the Health Officer or a designated agent gives the responsible party 10 days' written notice to fix or replace it before the Township can collect it as rubbish.
Section 429-2 also carves out separate handling: commercial food-service garbage picked up daily need not be wrapped, but liquid or semiliquid waste is never collected loose; white goods such as refrigerators, stoves, washers and hot water heaters go out only by appointment with the Public Works Department; and brush up to five inches in diameter and 40 pounds, bundled and tied, is collected by appointment from March through September. Section 429-4, added by Ordinance No. 38-2005 and amended by Ordinance No. 5-2006 and Ordinance No.
2015-02, fixes the curb window at 5:00 p.m. the day before collection through 10:00 p.m. the day of collection. Section 429-5 separately bars anyone from overturning, spilling, scattering or rooting through garbage or refuse once it is set out, or removing anything from a receptacle or bundle awaiting pickup.
Violations & Fines
Old Bridge has no separate fine schedule for Chapter 429, so violations of the container, set-out and scavenging rules fall under the Township's general penalty in § 1-3: a fine up to $1,250, imprisonment up to 90 days, community service up to 90 days, or a combination, at the municipal court's discretion. Under § 1-4, each day a violation continues counts as a separate offense, so leaving cans out past 10:00 p.m. repeatedly can multiply the exposure.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time can I put my trash cans at the curb in Old Bridge Township?
What kind of trash can does Old Bridge require?
Is it illegal to take items out of someone else's trash at the curb in Old Bridge?
How are large appliances like refrigerators picked up?
Sources & Official References
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