NYC Trash, Recycling & Compost Collection Guide: Schedule, Set-Out and Holiday Changes
New York collection rules make more sense when you separate two questions: what is your address’s normal pickup schedule, and is citywide service running normally today? Use the address lookup for the first question and current NYC311 status for the second.
Trash and recycling collection days depend on the building address.
DSNY collects curbside compost on the same day as recycling.
City holidays and severe weather can alter normal collection.
Start with your address, not a borough-wide schedule
NYC trash and recycling pickup days are assigned by address. Two homes in the same borough can have different collection days, so a generic neighborhood calendar is not a reliable substitute for the official lookup.
Use NYC311 or DSNY to confirm the regular schedule for the exact building before planning a set-out or reporting a missed collection.
Current citywide status answers a different question
A normal address schedule does not guarantee that service is running normally today. Holidays, snowstorms and other disruptions can delay or suspend collections.
NYC Dayline’s NYC 311 Today page surfaces the citywide collection status from the same official NYC311 daily-status source used for alternate side parking and schools.
Trash, recycling and compost are separate streams
New York requires residents to separate recyclables and compostable material from ordinary trash. Compost includes food scraps, food-soiled paper and yard waste that DSNY accepts under the curbside program.
Compost is collected every week on the same day as recycling, but the way materials must be contained and labeled is different from ordinary trash.
Container and set-out rules depend on the property
Current NYC rules require many smaller residential properties to use secure-lid bins for non-recyclable trash, while recycling and compost have their own container and bag rules. Building size and service arrangements can change the details.
Check the current official instructions before buying containers or assuming the same set-out method applies to every building.
Holiday rules can override the normal routine
When a collection day falls on a sanitation holiday, the city may publish a revised pickup plan. Do not assume service simply moves to the next morning; NYC311 advises checking close to the holiday for the exact instructions.
Weather emergencies can also change service, which is why current status matters even when you already know the regular collection day.
Report a missed collection only after checking the status
Before filing a missed-collection report, confirm that the material was set out correctly, that the normal collection window has passed and that citywide service was not delayed or suspended.
NYC311 provides the reporting path for missed trash, recycling or compost pickup after those checks.