Colonie, NY Trash & Recycling: Yard Waste Collection (2026)

Colonie's Solid Waste chapter defines yard waste broadly: § 112-1 covers 'grass clippings, leaves, cuttings and other debris from shrubs, hedges, tree branches less than three inches in diameter and four feet in length, and other vegetation,' while excluding garbage, recyclables, construction debris, sod, or soil. 'Brush' under the same section means tree branches up to three inches in diameter and four feet long, along with twigs, shrubs, and hedge clippings; anything larger, called 'wood and brush,' includes stumps, limbs, railroad ties, and telephone poles.

' The chapter defines 'bundled' in § 112-1 as tying material compactly in two perpendicular directions using twine, not wire, or bagging it in paper. Yard waste placed for pickup remains the generator's property until a licensed hauler accepts it, and only that hauler or an authorized third party may remove it from the curb; anyone else who picks it up commits a separate violation under § 112-17(B). Chapter violations, including improperly bagged or unbundled yard waste, are enforced by the Town of Colonie Police Department, Building Department, and Department of Public Works under § 112-21 and are punishable under § 112-20's schedule: up to $500 for a first offense, a 30-day suspension plus up to $1,000 for a second, and a one-year revocation plus up to $2,500 for a third.