Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Lawrence
In New Jersey, municipal refuse and recycling routes operate weekly. Your exact collection days are determined by your local borough or township.
State Mandate
The NJ Mandatory Source Separation and Recycling Act requires all residents to separate designated recyclables.
Blue (95-gallon or 35-gallon) Bin (Trash)
Place your blue cart at the curb no earlier than 5:00 P.M. the day prior, and no later than 5:00 A.M. on collection day. Carts must be removed within 48 hours of pickup.
Accepted Items
- ✓Regular household garbage
- ✓Small broken household items
- ✓Food waste
- ✓Bagged grass clippings
Yellow or Green Buckets Bin (Recycling)
Recycling is picked up every other Monday by the MCIA. Place official buckets at the curb by 6:00 A.M. Do not bag recyclables.
Accepted Items
- ✓Glass bottles and jars
- ✓Aluminum and tin cans
- ✓Plastics #1, #2, #5
- ✓Corrugated cardboard
- ✓Mixed office paper and magazines
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic bags
- ✕Styrofoam
- ✕Electronics
- ✕Hazardous waste
- ✕Food-soiled cardboard
Yard Waste Bin
Place vegetative materials at the curb just before your designated zone collection week. Piles cannot exceed 12 feet long, 3 feet high, and 4 feet from the curb edge.
Accepted Items
- ✓Brush
- ✓Branches (under 6 inches in diameter and 3 feet in length)
- ✓Leaves
- ✓Tree parts (no stumps)
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Last Friday of each month
Placement
Place all bulk items next to your blue cart. Items too large for the collection vehicle hopper will not be picked up. Metal appliances require a separate appointment.
Accepted
- ✓ Furniture
- ✓ Carpeting (cut to 5-foot sections, max 50 lbs)
- ✓ Mattresses and box springs (must be wrapped in plastic)
- ✓ Windows and mirrors (must be taped with criss-cross strips)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Construction materials
- ✕ Electronics
- ✕ Sod and loose yard waste
- ✕ Hazardous chemicals
Standard monthly bulk collection is included in municipal services. Metal items and white goods are collected for free but require a scheduled appointment by calling 609-587-1894.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
If a holiday falls on Monday or Tuesday, trash collection scheduled for that day happens the Saturday BEFORE the holiday. If it falls on Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday, collection happens the Saturday AFTER the holiday.
Yard Waste Exception
The Ecological Center is closed on all township-observed holidays. MCIA recycling missed on a Monday holiday is picked up the following Saturday.
Always check the Lawrence Township Municipal Calendar or call Public Works to verify specific holiday shift dates.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Never Bag Your Recyclables
The MCIA explicitly forbids placing recyclables inside plastic garbage bags. Bags jam sorting equipment and lead to entire loads being rejected. Keep your items loose in your yellow or green buckets [1.2.4].
Cut It and Leave It
While you are permitted to bag grass clippings and put them in your blue trash cart, it is highly recommended to leave clippings on your lawn as a natural fertilizer. Never place loose grass at the curb for brush collection.
Keep Electronics Out of Carts
Improper disposal of lithium batteries and e-waste causes severe fires in local processing facilities. Drop off all covered electronic devices at the Public Works facility on Wednesdays instead of placing them in your bins.
Seasonal Information
Autumn
November - DecemberStandard brush collection is entirely suspended during November and December. During these months, the Public Works Department focuses solely on the township-wide leaf collection program.
Winter
December - MarchThe Joseph H. Maher, Jr. Ecological Center alters its operating schedule in the winter, completely closing on Saturdays. Plan your yard waste drop-offs during the week.
Spring/Summer
April - OctoberBrush collection runs steadily through these months based on your 1-4 zone schedule. Ensure landscapers do not place yard waste out earlier than the weekend prior to your zone's collection week.
About Lawrence Waste Management
Mastering the Blue Cart System in Lawrence
Lawrence Township provides each residential household with a 95-gallon blue automated cart for daily household garbage [1.1.5]. Collections begin strictly at 5:00 a.m., so early placement is crucial. If you find your family generating excess waste, you have the option to lease an additional 35-gallon or 95-gallon cart for a one-time fee through the Department of Public Works, ensuring you always have enough space for your household refuse.
Mercer County's Strict Single-Stream Recycling Rules
Unlike municipal trash collection, recycling is managed county-wide by the Mercer County Improvement Authority (MCIA). Pickups occur every other Monday. To combat rising contamination rates, the MCIA now strictly enforces bagging rules: any recyclables placed in plastic bags or heavily contaminated bins will be tagged and left at the curb. The haulers will not return until the following cycle, making proper source separation essential.
Zone-Based Vegetative Waste Management
Lawrence Township divides its neighborhoods into four distinct brush collection zones. Residents can place branches, limbs, and yard trimmings at the curb during their designated week (from the first to the fourth Monday of the month). Notably, this standard brush collection is entirely suspended during November and December so the township can redirect all resources to its intensive fall leaf collection program.
Utilizing the Joseph H. Maher, Jr. Ecological Center
For those who prefer to self-haul their yard waste, the Ecological Center on Princeton Pike is a fantastic local asset. Open exclusively to residents with valid proof of address, the facility accepts brush, leaves, and grass clippings. Beyond disposal, it is also the premier spot in Lawrence to pick up screened leaf mulch and wood chips at no charge to enhance your home garden.
Navigating E-Waste and Monthly Bulk Disposal
Because electronic waste like televisions and laptops are banned from curbside carts under New Jersey law, Lawrence residents must drop these items off at the Public Works facility on Bakers Basin Road, available every Wednesday. For other bulky household items, the township allows residents to place up to three large items next to their blue cart on the last Friday of every month, making cleanouts convenient.
Drop-off Facilities
Joseph H. Maher, Jr. Ecological Center
3701 Princeton Pike, Lawrence Township, NJ 08648
Materials Accepted
Lawrence Township Public Works (E-Waste)
240 Bakers Basin Road, Lawrence Township, NJ 08648
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I dispose of a mattress or box spring in Lawrence Township?
You can place mattresses and box springs at the curb on the last Friday of the month during normal bulk collection (limit of 3 total bulky items). However, they must be completely wrapped in protective plastic.
When is my recycling collected and who is in charge of it?
Recycling is managed by the Mercer County Improvement Authority (MCIA) and is collected every other Monday. Items must be at the curb by 6:00 a.m. in the provided yellow or green buckets.
Can I leave grass clippings out for brush collection?
No, loose grass cannot be placed at the curb. The township recommends 'Cut it and leave it,' but if you must dispose of it, grass clippings must be bagged and placed inside your blue trash cart or taken to the Ecological Center.
How do I throw away a refrigerator or metal appliance?
Large metal items, including ovens, washers, dryers, and refrigerators, are collected by appointment only. You must call the Public Works Department at 609-587-1894 to schedule a specialized pickup.