Bloomfield, NJ Trash & Recycling: Yard Waste Collection (2026)

Article IV of Chapter 491, Containerized Yard Waste, was adopted 12-11-2023 by Ord. No. 23-61 and amended 5-20-2024 by Ord. No. 24-32. Section 491-18 defines yard waste as leaves and grass clippings, and defines containerized as yard waste placed in a biodegradable bag so it cannot spill or blow into the street and meet stormwater. Under § 491-19A, the owner or occupant of a property, or any employee or contractor engaged for lawn care or landscaping, cannot sweep, rake, blow or otherwise place uncontainerized yard waste in the street. Whoever placed it must remove it from the street or is in violation.

Section 491-19B sets the pickup program. Brush, branches, yard raking and other vegetative matter go in biodegradable bags only for Township collection, and pickups happen on the same day as recycling pickups. Leaves go out in biodegradable bags only during March 15 through May 15 and October 15 through December 31, and no bags of leaves are picked up outside those periods. Christmas trees are picked up from January 1 through January 31, only after all decorations, ornaments, lights and tinsel are removed. Grass clippings are picked up from May 1 through October 31, limited to three bags per pickup per household, and the homeowner must remove additional bags from the curbside within 24 hours of the pickup day. Leaves and grass clippings must go in separate bags and cannot be comingled. Soft vegetative waste collection resumes in the spring.

The Township also promotes a Cut It and Leave It program under § 491-19A, encouraging residents to leave clippings on the lawn, which the code says lowers the need to fertilize by up to 30%. Separately, the Board of Health chapter at § 611-2 requires yard growth or waste to be placed in a biodegradable bag with no item over 50 pounds, grass and weeds not to exceed nine inches, and a composting location at least 10 feet from each property line. Vegetative growth must be cut into three-foot lengths, tied in bundles, and weigh no more than 25 pounds per item.