2023 Bulk Trash Pickup Guidelines

• Bulk trash is picked up twice per year on your scheduled curbside collection day in the two designated bulk pickup weeks: April 24-28 and Sept. 11-15. Affordable Waste Systems LLC of East Haven is the city’s private contractor for bulk pickup. See the 2023 Garbage Schedule.
  
• Bulk items include couches, chairs, tables, carpeting, padding and fencing, which may not exceed 6 feet in length. Fencing must be cut in half and stacked neatly in piles.
• No building materials, tires, mattresses, propane tanks or hazardous waste are accepted.
• Tires can be brought to Town Fair Tire, 63 Boston Post Road, Orange, for a fee of $2.75 per tire.
• Mattress drop-off at the city garage, 1 Collis St., has been discontinued because of public safety concerns. To dispose of mattresses moving forward, residents must buy mattress bags from the Department of Public Works and put them out for pickup on their weekly curbside collection day. The bags cost $10 each, payable by cash or check, and are available in the public works office on the third floor of City Hall, 355 Main St.
• Hazardous waste can be dropped off for free at HazWaste Central, 90 Sargent Drive, New Haven. HazWaste is open Saturday mornings from mid-May through October. See the 2023 HazWaste Central Schedule.
• In addition to bulk trash, the city picks up household appliances, also known as white goods, and toilets. To schedule a pickup on their curbside collection day, residents must call the Highway Department at 203-937-3644 or 203-937-3585. Appliance doors must be removed.
• The amount of bulk trash per collection is limited to 6 cubic yards, which is equal to a pile of trash about 6 feet long, 6 feet wide and 4 ½ feet high. Homeowners are required to rent a dumpster or hire a junk removal service at their expense if trash exceeds 6 cubic yards. Otherwise, trash exceeding 6 cubic yards will be left at the curb, and a $100 fine per daily offense will be imposed.
• Bulk items must be separated and orderly. Do not place them next to a mailbox or utility pole or close to a fence.
• Bulk trash must be generated by the customer at the residential unit where it is collected. Bulk trash will not be collected if it is generated by anyone other than the resident of the home. Do not place items in front of a vacant lot or home — they will not be collected.

Construction Refuse

Sand, stone, mortar, conduit, gypsum blocks, lumber, molding, bathroom fixtures, asphalt, plasterboard, plaster, trees, tree stumps, or other refuse from building, remodeling, landscaping or excavating are not accepted. A resident or contractor must provide a dumpster at their expense for this type of removal.

Brush, Branches & Tree Limbs

Cut into 3-to-6-foot lengths and tied in small bundles, no more than 70 pounds. Untied brush can be brought to the compost site, 1 Kimberly Ave. Logs and stumps are prohibited.

Leaf Bag Pickup

The 2023 pickup schedule for leaf bags is April 15-June 1 and Oct. 1-Dec. 15. Place curbside for pickup, or bring to the compost site, 1 Kimberly Ave. Must be in biodegradable paper bags only. Plastic bags are prohibited. Leaves and grass clippings must be in separate bags. Leaves or grass clippings packed in trash cans will not be accepted. See the 2023 Garbage Schedule.

Christmas Trees

When putting out Christmas trees for curbside pickup, do not place them in plastic bags or stands. Lights must also be removed from Christmas trees. Plastic bags and other items can become tangled in the machine that grinds the trees into compost. Christmas trees will be picked up in January and February only. Residents needing a pickup after Feb. 28 will be charged a $25 fee. Christmas trees can also be brought to the compost site, 1 Kimberly Ave.

Metals/White Goods

Call the Highway Department at 203-937-3644 or 203-937-3585 to have metals — including household appliances, also known as white goods, and toilets — picked up on your regular trash day. Arrangements can usually be made to have your old appliances removed when new ones are delivered. Appliance doors must be removed.

Unwanted Propane Tanks

Many landfills, recycling centers and scrap metal dealers cannot recycle unwanted propane tanks because of the residual propane inside. However, most propane exchange companies, including Blue Rhino, will take and recycle them at no cost to you. Simply leave your empty tank beside a propane exchange display. For information, click here. Propane tanks can also be brought to Taylor Rental, 304 Boston Post Road, Orange, for a fee of $10.60 per tank.

Latex Paint

Dry the paint (cat box filler can help), take off the lid and put it out with your regular trash pickup. Oil-based paints go to HazWaste Central, 90 Sargent Drive, New Haven. See the 2023 HazWaste Central Schedule.