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Welcome to the City of Schenectady!

Living in a clean environment is important to us. This is why we are continually looking for ways to ensure that Schenectady remains a healthy, safe, and green city. This page will give you an overview of what you can expect from the City of Schenectady in relation to the collection of your waste. 

Waste Collection Notifications

Waste collection with the City of Schenectady

The City of Schenectady has been divided into 5 waste collection Districts, and each district has its own waste collection date. During holidays, waste collection may change. For current schedules, visit the Waste Collection Schedules page or call us at 518-382-5144. 

GARBAGE NOT COLLECTED? 
Give us a call at 518-382-5144 if your garbage is not collected on your collection day .

Unacceptable materials:

We do not accept: construction material, hazardous waste, medical waste, and car parts or tires. 
These items need to be taken to the Transfer Station, 2 Weaver St, Schenectady, NY , 12305.

COMMERCIAL WASTE COLLECTION
For commercial buildings or residential properties with four (4) units or more, waste collection will only occur with a contract with the City of Schenectady.
For more details concerning Commercial Waste contracts, please contact our office at 518-382-5144.

General Collection Rules

  • Garbage or recycling should not be on the curb before 2 p.m. on the day before your scheduled collection day.
    Garbage should be placed at the curb by no later than 6:15 a.m. on the day of your collection.
  • Containers or unacceptable materials must be removed from the curb within 12 hours after collection.
  • Garbage cans or recycling bins must be no larger than 40 gallons. 
  • All garbage should be bagged. Make sure the lid is closed and that garbage is not packed too tight.
  • The City of Schenectady does Single Stream recycling.
    This means that you are able to co-mingle paper, glass, plastic and tin. You can pick up the Single Stream Recycling stickers at City Hall, Room #9.
  • Household waste, recycling and yard waste are each collected by separate trucks, so each of these discarded materials may be picked up at different times of the day.
  • On scheduled holidays, waste collections dates will change. For the most current schedules, follow the link to our 'Waste Collection Schedules' page.

The City of Schenectady is not responsible for lost, damaged, or stolen containers.

Waste Collection Times - Schenectady

Curbside Collection

HOUSEHOLD WASTE
Household waste is considered to be any non-recyclable material. All household waste should be placed in the appropriate container and placed curbside on your scheduled collection day or brought to an appropriate facility for disposal.

SINGLE STREAM RECYCLING
The City of Schenectady supports you in our recycling efforts by keeping up with new developments, which is why we introduced Single Stream Recycling in September 2016.

Single Stream Recycling helps you save space in your home and makes recycling less time consuming, because you are able to co-mingle paper, plastic, tin and glass. 

RECYCLING STICKERS
Place a Single Stream Recycling sticker on opposite sides of your recycling container. The purpose of the recycling sticker is to inform us of your recycling stop. 

If you would like a (new) Single Stream Recycling sticker, you can pay us a visit at City Hall - Room #9, or send us a self-addressed envelope to:
City Hall - Room #9
105 Jay Street
Schenectady, NY 12305

YARD WASTE

  • Yard waste must be placed in 30 gallon biodegradable paper bags to be picked up.
  • Yard waste will not be picked up if it is determined that the bags contain dirt, rocks, or animal feces.
  • Brush and branches less than 3 inches in diameter will be collected if they are trimmed to 4 feet or less in length and tied in a manageable-sized bundle.
  • Poorly tied bundles that fall apart when lifted, will be left by garbage collectors. as will bundles over 4 feet in length.
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Garbage NOT collected at curbside

MEDICAL WASTE
Used needles, syringes, lancets and other sharp medical objects must be disposed of in a separate manner from regular waste. This is done to protect landfill, recycling, and waste-to-energy facility operators. Medical waste is treated differently, in that it must be sterilized of burned to kill any infectious diseases before disposal. 

Schenectady County residents who use sharps at home should dispose of them according to the following guidelines:

  • Store sharps in a sharps container that you can get at pharmacy or in a thick plastic bottle, such as a detergent bottle. keep the cap on the bottle and clearly label the bottle "Sharps" with a waterproof marking pen. 
  • When ready to deliver, tape the cap onto the bottle.
  • Deliver to one of the sharps disposal locations.

HAZARDOUS WASTE

The Schenectady County Hazardous waste Reduction Program provides information for residents, small businesses, schools and non-for-profits on how to get rid of leftover and unwanted hazardous chemical items. Household hazardous chemicals are any products in the home which are labeled as flammable, toxic, corrosive or reactive.


ITEMS  CONSIDERED TO BE HAZARDOUS WASTE
Household cleaners, fluorescent lighting, thermostats, pool chemicals, automobile fluids, fire extinguishers, propane tanks, paint, removers, varnishes, rechargeable batteries, car batteries, lawn and garden chemicals, pesticides, and fertilizer.

Waste Collection Notifications

MOTOR OIL
Motor oil can be taken to any local service station. However, there is a 5 gallon limit.

CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS
All construction and demolition debris materials removed from construction and demolition projects are required to be properly recycled or reused. City residents can take construction and demolition debris to the Schenectady Transfer Faclity. 

ITEMS CONSIDERED TO BE CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS
Shingles, fencing, bathroom fixtures, plaster, sheet rock, building materials, doors, wood, blocks, paneling, concrete.

Waste Disposal Facilities

SCHENECTADY TRANSFER FACILITY
2 Weaver St
Schenectady, NY 12305
518-374-1124

OPENING HOURS
Monday - Friday: 06.00 - 04.00

Does not accept: Hazardous waste, radioactive material, medical waste, asbestos, TV's, refrigerators, air conditioners, propane tanks, paint, oils and liquids.

SCHENECTADY COMPOSTING AND RESIDENT RECYCLING FACILITY
24 Hetcheltown Road
Glenville, NY 12302
518-399-6980

OPENING HOURS
January - March: Saturday only, 8:00 - 3:00
April - December: Monday - Saturday, 8:00 - 3:00