North Hempstead, NY Trash & Recycling: Recycling Requirements (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- § 46-11.1
- Mandatory materials
- Newspaper, corrugated, bottles/cans, plastics, yard waste
- Bundle weight limit
- 50 lbs (newspaper/corrugated)
- Multifamily threshold
- 4+ units triggers § 46-11.2
- First-offense fine
- $1,000 to $5,000
Summary
North Hempstead requires every residential owner, lessee or occupant to source-separate recyclables under Code § 46-11.1: newspapers, magazines, corrugated paper, bottles and cans, plastics and yard waste must be set out separately from trash. The Commissioner of the Department of Solid Waste Management sets collection days, and the Town Board can add more materials by resolution.
there shall be a mandatory Curbside Recycling Program pursuant to which all Persons who are owners, lessees or occupants of residential dwellings in the Town (except as provided in § 46-11.2) shall be required to Source-Separate for pickup all components of Solid Waste for which Economic Markets for alternate uses exist... Mandatory source separation for newspapers, magazines, corrugated paper, Bottles and Cans, plastics and Yard Waste has been enacted for residential dwellings.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4892187; v82 updated 2026-04-21; through 04-21-2026).
Full Breakdown
1B specifies: newspapers must be compacted and bagged or bundled and tied in packages not exceeding 50 pounds; bottles, cans and plastics are cleaned and placed in the recycling container the Town provides; yard waste is bagged or containerized and set out on the designated yard-waste day, though residents may leave grass clippings on the lawn instead; and corrugated paper follows the same 50-pound bundling rule as newspaper. Any additional materials the Town Board adds by resolution are collected on a schedule the Commissioner sets and advertises.
2 requiring the owner, manager or association to provide and maintain recycling collection areas able to receive newspapers, corrugated paper, magazines, bottles, cans and plastics within 60 days of any newly added material. 3, which adds construction and demolition debris and high-grade paper, and requires carters to file monthly reports to the Commissioner listing tonnage and disposal locations. 1C, but donated material cannot then also be placed at curbside.
Violations & Fines
A violation of § 46-11.1 falls under the general penalty scale in § 46-6.1: $1,000 to $5,000 for a first offense, $2,500 to $10,000 for a second offense within two years, and $5,000 to $25,000 for a third or later offense within five years, with each day of continued noncompliance a separate offense. The Commissioner may first pursue voluntary compliance through notice, warning or education before issuing a formal notice of violation or appearance ticket.
Frequently Asked Questions
What materials must I recycle in North Hempstead?
How do I bundle newspapers and corrugated paper for pickup?
Do apartment buildings have to recycle in North Hempstead?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in North Hempstead
New York rules heatmap·Compare North Hempstead to another location·View the New York trash & recycling overview
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