Syracuse, NY Trash & Recycling: Yard Waste Collection (2026)
Key Facts
- Collection season
- April through October, monthly by quadrant
- Leaf season
- October 15 to November 30
- Annual pickup cap
- 6 times per property per year
- Bag rule
- No plastic bags; paper bags only
- Set-out window
- Not before 5:00 p.m. Saturday before
- Enforcing agency
- Department of Public Works (D.P.W.)
Summary
Syracuse collects yard waste once a month by quadrant from April through October, with a dedicated leaf collection period from October 15 to November 30. Leaves must be raked to the curb, never bagged in plastic, and the service is capped at six pickups a year per property.
Yard waste and wood waste includes leaves, grass clippings, garden debris, wood, and branches free of metal and other materials... Waste must be set out before 6:00 a.m. on the Monday of each quadrant's collection week. Yard waste must not be set out before 5:00 p.m. the Saturday preceding the collection week... Leaf collection is scheduled by the city from October 15 to November 30. The collection week schedule will not apply during this period. Leaves must be raked to the curbline and must not block catch basins or impede normal street drainage. Leaves must not be placed in plastic bags. Large paper bags designed for this purpose may be used... This service may not be used more than six (6) times annually... Failure to comply with the provisions listed above shall be a violation and result in the application of penalties provided in section 14-15.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 41).
Full Breakdown
Revised General Ordinances § 14-21 defines yard waste and wood waste as leaves, grass clippings, garden debris, wood and branches free of metal or other materials. the collection Monday. Waste must not cover sewer vents, sit in the roadway, or block sidewalks. Section 14-21(g) limits the service to material generated on the abutting property and caps it at six pickups per property per year. Use of parkways for depositing yard waste is prohibited under (h). for pickup. or a private retailer. Home composting and direct burial of kitchen peelings and vegetative matter is permitted under commissioner guidelines.
Yard waste generated by a private contractor performing work on real property must be removed by the contractor at its own expense, not left for city pickup. may refuse contaminated material and instead classify it as construction debris or solid waste, applying those handling rules.
Violations & Fines
Section 14-21(m) makes failure to comply with the yard-waste rules, including set-out timing, the plastic-bag ban, and the six-pickup annual cap, a violation subject to the penalties set out in § 14-15. D.P.W. may also refuse to collect contaminated or noncompliant material outright.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does Syracuse collect leaves?
How often can I put out yard waste in Syracuse?
Can I put grass clippings out for pickup in Syracuse?
Who is responsible for yard waste from a landscaping contractor in Syracuse?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Syracuse
New York rules heatmap·Compare Syracuse to another location·View the New York trash & recycling overview
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