Amherst, NY Trash & Recycling: Recycling Requirements (2026)

Section 169-4 establishes Amherst's separation and preparation program under the Office of Refuse Control, whose implementing rules are known as the Town of Amherst Waste Management Law. Section 169-5B spells out the preparation standard for recyclable material placed in the public right-of-way: newspapers must go in a recycling container or paper bags; corrugated cardboard, including boxes, must be disassembled, flattened, bundled and tied; and cans, glass containers and plastic containers must be rinsed of their original contents, with caps and rings removed from glass. Recyclable material itself is defined in § 169-3 to include, at minimum, cans, glass containers, newspaper, plastic and corrugated cardboard, and 'recycling regulations' issued by the Office of Refuse Control can add to that list.

Section 169-5B(2) is explicit that no material other than properly prepared recyclable material may be placed in a recycling container, meaning contaminated or mixed loads are a compliance issue, not just a collection inconvenience. Residents also carry an affirmative duty under § 169-6E to source-separate and prepare recyclables according to this article and the Office of Refuse Control's regulations before every collection day. The Refuse Control Officer, appointed by the Town Board, oversees compliance under the Waste Management Code.