Oyster Bay, NY Trash & Recycling: Recycling Requirements (2026)

Chapter 201, Article VI of the Town of Oyster Bay Code spells out exactly how recyclables must be handled before they reach the curb. Under § 201-70, the Commissioner of Sanitation defines which materials count as recyclable and can add or drop items as scrap markets shift, giving affected residents reasonable notice of any change. Section 201-71 places the prep work squarely on the recycling participant: glass, metal, and plastic containers go into the Town-issued recycling bin, rinsed clean of food and other particles, with metal can labels removed.

If the bin can't hold everything, the overflow must go into a separate weatherproof container placed alongside the official bin on collection day. Paper materials, meaning newspapers, corrugated cardboard, magazines, office paper, and advertising mail, must be bundled and tied in packages no heavier than 50 pounds and no taller than 12 inches. A resident who needs an extra bin gets one free replacement on a showing of need; additional bins beyond that carry a fee the Commissioner can waive for good cause, but advance arrangements are required.

If the Commissioner determines a batch of recyclables needs further sorting to stay marketable, participants must comply once given adequate notice. The Commissioner of Sanitation, per § 201-72, sets the actual collection routes and schedules and must give reasonable notice of them. Recyclables placed at the curb become Town property under § 201-68, so residents cannot rely on private haulers or scavengers to take them instead.