Ridgewood, NJ Trash & Recycling: Yard Waste Collection (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing law
- Village Code Ch. 275, Yard Waste
- Loose yard waste
- Only during announced leaf season
- Storm drain setback
- 10 feet minimum
- Grass clippings
- Cannot mix with brush/leaves
- Maximum fine
- $2,000 per violation per lot
- Enforcement
- Police, Code Enforcement, Engineer, DPW
Summary
Village of Ridgewood Code Chapter 275 bars residents and landscapers from raking or blowing loose yard waste into the street except during the announced fall leaf season, and bans mixing grass clippings with brush or leaves.
The owner or occupant of any property, or employee or contractor of such owner or occupant engaged to provide lawn care, tree or shrub care, or landscaping services, shall not sweep, rake, blow or otherwise place yard waste, unless the yard waste is containerized, in the street. Grass clippings cannot be placed in the same container as brush, leaves and other vegetative debris. B. Placement of yard waste in the street that is not containerized is only permitted during the placement dates designated by the annual leaf collection schedule notice, and at all times shall not be placed closer than 10 feet from any storm drain inlet, and may not contain any brush or grass clippings. Placement of noncontainerized yard waste at the curb or along the street at any other time or in any other manner is a violation of this chapter.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4854397; v35 updated 2026-04-22; through 04-22-2026).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 275, adopted in 2006 and amended in 2016, governs yard waste in the Village of Ridgewood, Bergen County, New Jersey. Under Section 275-3, an owner, occupant, or their landscaping contractor may not sweep, rake, blow, or otherwise place yard waste in the street unless it is containerized, and grass clippings cannot share a container with brush, leaves, or other vegetative debris. Loose, noncontainerized yard waste may only be set at the curb during the placement dates set each year by the Village's leaf collection schedule notice, and even then it must stay at least 10 feet from any storm drain inlet and may not include brush or grass clippings.
Containerized yard waste, defined in Section 275-2 as material placed in a trash can, bucket, or biodegradable paper bag so it cannot spill, blow out, or reach stormwater, is not restricted to the leaf season. Placing noncontainerized yard waste at the curb outside the designated dates or in any other manner is a violation, and Section 275-3 makes the property owner responsible even if a landscaper caused the violation. Section 275-4 assigns enforcement to the Ridgewood Police Department, the Code Enforcement Officer, the Village Engineer, the Superintendent of Public Works, and any other officer the Village Manager designates. The chapter's purpose clause, Section 275-1, ties these rules to protecting public health, safety, and welfare through the Village's organized yard waste collection program.
Violations & Fines
Section 275-5 sets a fine of up to $2,000 per violation, assessed per individual block and lot. Because the owner of the property fronting the curb is responsible for improperly placed yard waste even when a hired landscaper caused it, homeowners should confirm their landscaper follows the announced collection dates and the 10-foot storm drain setback.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I rake grass clippings into the street in Ridgewood?
When can I put loose leaves at the curb without bagging them?
Who is responsible if my landscaper piles leaves at the wrong time?
What is the penalty for violating Ridgewood's yard waste ordinance?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Ridgewood
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