Newark, NJ Trash & Recycling: Yard Waste Collection (2026)
Key Facts
- Required packaging
- Biodegradable paper bags
- Alternative
- DPW-approved receptacle
- Adopted
- 2006, amended 2016
- Covers
- Owners and hired landscapers
Summary
Newark bans sweeping, raking or blowing loose leaves, grass and branches into the street. City Code Section 15:5-2 requires yard waste to be containerized in biodegradable paper bags or another DPW-approved receptacle before it touches the street, to keep it out of storm drains.
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 in the street unless the yard waste is containerized in biodegradable paper bags or other such receptacle approved by the Department of Public Works. If the yard waste is placed in the street without being containerized, the party responsible for the placement of yard waste must remove it from the street immediately or said party shall be deemed in violation of this chapter.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 5019615; v61 updated 2026-06-17; through 06-17-2026).
Full Breakdown
" Section 15:5-1 defines "containerized" as packaging yard waste so it cannot spill or blow into the street and reach the stormwater system, which ties the rule directly to keeping leaves and grass clippings out of catch basins. If loose yard waste ends up in the street anyway, the ordinance puts the cleanup duty on the party responsible for the placement, meaning the landscaper or the property owner, whoever caused it, must remove it from the street immediately. Failing to do so is itself a separate violation of the chapter under Section 15:5-2's closing sentence.
The chapter, adopted in 2006 and last amended in 2016, applies citywide and covers both DIY yard work and paid lawn-care or landscaping crews, so a homeowner cannot escape responsibility by hiring a contractor who blows clippings loose into the roadway.
Violations & Fines
A property owner, occupant, or landscaping contractor who places uncontainerized yard waste in the street is in violation of Section 15:5-2 and must remove it from the street immediately once it lands there; failing to remove it promptly is treated as a further violation of the chapter. Because the containerization duty ties directly to the City's stormwater protections, DPW inspectors and code enforcement can act on a report of loose leaves or grass clippings blocking a catch basin without waiting for a scheduled yard-waste pickup.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my landscaper blow leaves into the street in Newark?
What counts as 'containerized' yard waste under Newark's ordinance?
What happens if grass clippings end up loose in the street?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Newark
Compare Newark to another location·View the New Jersey trash & recycling overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.