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

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Governing section
§ 34-6.3, Prohibited Conduct
Penalty
Fine up to $2,000 per violation
Enforced by
Public Works, Health and Human Services, Police
Adopted by
Ord. No. O.1611-2008 § 7
Covered material
Leaves and grass clippings only
Compliant method
Containerized in can, bucket, or bag

Summary

Edison Township bars property owners, occupants, and their landscapers from sweeping, raking, or blowing loose leaves and grass clippings into the street. Yard waste must be containerized in a can, bucket, or bag, and anyone who leaves it loose must remove it or face a violation.

CONTAINERIZED: Means the placement of yard waste in a trash can, bucket, bag or other vessel, such as to prevent the yard waste from spilling or blowing out into the street and coming into contact with stormwater. YARD WASTE: Means leaves and grass clippings. Prohibited Conduct: The owner or occupant of any property, or any employee or contractor of such owner or occupant engaged to provide lawn care or landscaping services, shall not sweep, rake, blow or otherwise place yard waste, unless the yard waste is containerized, in the street. If yard waste that is not containerized is placed in the street, the party responsible for placement of yard waste must remove the yard waste from the street or said party shall be deemed in violation of this section.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4904708; v19 updated 2026-03-25; through 03-25-2026).

Full Breakdown

Township Code § 34-6, adopted by Ord. No. 1611-2008 § 7, regulates how leaves and grass clippings reach the street. 2 defines 'yard waste' narrowly as leaves and grass clippings, and defines 'containerized' as placement in a trash can, bucket, bag, or other vessel so the material cannot spill or blow into the street and contact stormwater. 3 makes it unlawful for the owner or occupant of any property, or any employee or contractor hired to provide lawn care or landscaping services, to sweep, rake, blow, or otherwise place yard waste in the street unless it is containerized.

If non-containerized yard waste ends up in the street anyway, the party responsible for putting it there must remove it, or that party is deemed in violation of the section. The rule sits alongside § 34-7's separate curbside Yard Waste Collection Program, which likewise bars placing loose leaves or grass at the curb and requires the responsible party to pick it back up. 1 is to keep yard waste out of the municipal storm sewer system and protect public health, safety, and welfare. 4 is shared by the Department of Public Works, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Edison Township Police Department.

Violations & Fines

Section 34-6.5 sets a fine of up to $2,000 for anyone found in violation. Liability reaches not just the property owner or occupant but any landscaping contractor or lawn-care employee who blows or rakes loose yard waste into the street, and Public Works, Health and Human Services, or Police can each enforce it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can my landscaper blow grass clippings into the street in Edison?
No. Section 34-6.3 bars the owner, occupant, or any hired landscaping contractor from sweeping, raking, or blowing yard waste into the street unless it is containerized in a can, bucket, or bag first.
What counts as 'yard waste' under this section?
Section 34-6.2 defines yard waste narrowly as leaves and grass clippings only; other debris such as branches or soil is not covered by this specific containerization requirement.
If leaves end up loose in the street, who has to clean them up?
Section 34-6.3 requires the party responsible for placing the yard waste there to remove it from the street, or that party is deemed in violation and can be fined.
Is there a separate curbside leaf collection program in Edison?
Yes. Section 34-7 sets up a distinct Yard Waste Collection Program with its own similar ban on placing loose, non-containerized yard waste at the curb pending pickup.

Sources & Official References

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