Clarkstown, NY Trash & Recycling: Recycling Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Program type
- Mandatory, not voluntary
- Covers
- Residential, commercial and industrial uses
- Designated materials
- Cans, glass, magazines, junk mail, newspapers, paper, plastics, cardboard
- Applies to
- Unincorporated Town only
- First-conviction fine range
- $50-$150 sorting, $100-$250 mixing
Summary
Clarkstown runs a mandatory recycling program covering every residential, commercial and industrial use in the unincorporated Town. Chapter 226 designates eight material categories as recyclable, cans, glass, magazines, junk mail, newspapers, paper, plastics and cardboard, and the Town Board can add more by resolution.
§ 226-1. Purpose. It is the purpose of this chapter to set forth the requirements for a mandatory recycling program in the Town of Clarkstown. § 226-2. Applicability. The mandatory recycling program set forth herein shall apply to all residential, commercial and industrial uses situate in the unincorporated area of the Town of Clarkstown. § 226-4. Designation of recyclables. A. The following materials are designated as recyclable under the Town of Clarkstown mandatory program: (1) Cans. (2) Glass. (3) Magazines. (4) Junk mail. (5) Newspapers. (6) Paper. (7) Plastics. (8) Cardboard.
Full Breakdown
L. No. L. No. 4-2009. Section 226-1 states the chapter's purpose is to set forth the requirements for a mandatory recycling program in the Town of Clarkstown, and Section 226-2 makes that program mandatory for all residential, commercial and industrial uses situated in the unincorporated area of the Town, meaning inside the Villages of Nyack, Upper Nyack and South Nyack the village's own code controls instead. Section 226-4 designates eight categories of recyclable material: cans (steel and aluminum beverage and food containers, excluding aerosols and paint cans), glass (excluding window glass, Pyrex, light bulbs, mirrors and ceramics), magazines, junk mail, newspapers, paper, plastics (PETE and HDPE containers, excluding bags and hazardous-substance containers) and cardboard (cut down or bundled to no more than three feet by three feet).
The Town Board can designate additional recyclable materials by resolution at any time without amending the chapter itself. Section 226-3 supplies the exact definitions the Town uses to decide what counts within each category, which matters because Section 226-9 makes it a punishable offense to mix a designated recyclable into ordinary garbage.
Violations & Fines
Section 226-9 splits penalties by which rule is broken. Failing to separate or properly place recyclables under Section 226-5A through E draws a fine starting at $50 to $150 for a first conviction and rising to $500 to $1,000 for a fourth. Mixing recyclables with garbage for collection or taking Town-owned curbside recyclables under Section 226-5F through I is a Penal Law offense: $100 to $250 for a first conviction, rising to Class A misdemeanor exposure with up to a year in jail for a third.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is recycling actually mandatory in Clarkstown, or just encouraged?
What materials does Clarkstown require me to recycle?
Do the Villages of Nyack or Upper Nyack follow this Town rule?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Clarkstown
New York rules heatmap·Compare Clarkstown to another location·View the New York trash & recycling overview
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