Southampton, NY Trash & Recycling: Yard Waste Collection (2026)
Key Facts
- Yard waste definition
- Leaves, brush, limbs under 3 inches
- Excluded from definition
- Stumps and grass clippings
- Separation required
- Yes, at all transfer stations
- Disposal fee
- Set by Town Board resolution
- First-offense fine
- Up to $500
Summary
In the Town of Southampton outside the villages, vegetative yard waste, defined as leaves, brush and tree limbs under three inches in diameter, must be kept separate from regular trash at Town transfer stations under § 205-4(V), and residential self-haulers pay a separate disposal fee for brush and yard waste under § 205-11.
VEGETATIVE YARD WASTE That certain material consisting of leaves, brush, and tree limbs less than three inches in diameter, but exclusive of stumps or grass clippings. ... No vegetative yard waste, as defined herein, shall be deposited at any Town of Southampton disposal area or Town transfer station unless such vegetative yard waste is separated from any and all solid waste, trash or rubbish. Such vegetative yard waste is to be deposited only at designated areas within such Town disposal area or transfer station, and in no event shall vegetative yard waste include grass clippings. ... residential self-haulers depositing yard waste (other than leaves), brush less than three inches in diameter, residential tires, metals, bulk items and/or construction and demolition debris at Town transfer station facilities shall pay a fee as determined, and amended from time to time, by Town Board resolution and as advertised on the Town's website pursuant to the Waste Management/Recycling Center Fee Schedule.
Full Breakdown
Chapter 205 defines VEGETATIVE YARD WASTE at § 205-2 as leaves, brush and tree limbs less than three inches in diameter, expressly excluding stumps and grass clippings, which count as ordinary solid waste. Section 205-4(V) requires that no vegetative yard waste be deposited at any Town disposal area or transfer station unless it is separated from all solid waste, trash or rubbish, and it must go only in the areas designated for yard waste at the facility; grass clippings can never be dropped off as yard waste.
Land-clearing debris, defined separately at § 205-2 to include soil, sod, stumps and trees over three inches, is treated as construction/demolition debris rather than yard waste and must likewise be kept separate under § 205-4(S). Residential self-haulers bringing yard waste other than leaves, brush under three inches, tires, metals, bulk items or construction debris to a Town transfer station must pay a disposal fee set by Town Board resolution and posted on the Town's Waste Management/Recycling Center Fee Schedule (§ 205-11). Vehicles delivering yard waste at the transfer stations must use the scale house or attendant booth and get a weight ticket before entering the deposit area (§ 205-4(R)). All rules apply whether waste is self-hauled or delivered by a permitted refuse hauler/carter under Chapter 205.
Violations & Fines
Depositing unseparated or misdirected yard waste at a Town disposal area violates § 205-4 and is punishable under § 205-12(E): a fine up to $500 for a first offense, $500 to $1,000 for a second offense within five years, and up to $1,500 plus as much as six months in jail for a third, with each day a separate violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as yard waste under Southampton's code?
Can I mix yard waste with regular trash at a Southampton transfer station?
Is there a fee to drop off yard waste in Southampton?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Southampton
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Yard Waste Collection in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Suffolk County handle yard waste collection.