Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Maplewood
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.
Resident-provided (varies by private hauler) Bin (Trash)
Trash collection guidelines, cart sizes, and placement times are determined by your private subscription hauler (e.g., Waste Management or Waste Industries).
Accepted Items
- ✓Standard household garbage
- ✓Food waste
- ✓Non-recyclable plastics
Resident-provided (Blue recommended) Bin (Recycling)
The Township does not provide toters. Residents must use a hard plastic container (maximum 64 gallons). Plastic bags are strictly prohibited and will result in rejected pickups.
Accepted Items
- ✓FIBERS WEEK: Cardboard, office paper, newspapers, magazines
- ✓COMMINGLED WEEK: Plastics #1-7, glass bottles/jars, tin/aluminum cans
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic bags
- ✕Styrofoam
- ✕Greasy pizza boxes
- ✕Batteries
- ✕Garden hoses
- ✕Broken glass
Yard Waste Bin
In spring, use reusable containers or paper bags. In autumn, loose leaves may be raked into the street. Never use plastic bags. Gas-powered leaf blowers are illegal.
Accepted Items
- ✓Leaves
- ✓Grass clippings
- ✓Garden rakings
- ✓Branches (under 4 feet long and bundled)
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Varies (Private Hauler) / By Appointment (DPW Metal)
Placement
For DPW metal pickups, schedule an appointment by calling 973-762-1175 and place the item at the curb the night before. For general bulk, follow your private hauler's instructions.
Accepted
- ✓ Washing machines (via DPW)
- ✓ Dishwashers (via DPW)
- ✓ Scrap metal (via DPW)
- ✓ Standard household furniture (via private hauler)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Hazardous waste
- ✕ Wet paint
- ✕ Standard household garbage mixed with bulk
- ✕ Construction debris (unless contracted separately)
Tire drop-offs at the recycling center cost $2 per tire (off-rim only, exact cash or check). Other DPW scrap metal pickups are free. Private hauler bulk fees vary by subscription tier.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
Recycling services managed by the Township and DPW center hours may be suspended on major holidays. For household trash, check directly with your private hauler for their specific holiday delay schedule.
Yard Waste Exception
Storm emergencies always take priority over routine brush and leaf collection.
The Maplewood DPW Recycling Center on Boyden Avenue strictly observes municipal holidays and will be closed on the dates listed.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Respect the Alternating Weeks
Maplewood's dual-stream system means you cannot mix paper and plastic. If you place your Commingled bin at the curb during a Fibers collection week, the hauler will tag it as contaminated and leave it behind.
Banish the Plastic Bags
Never put recyclables in plastic grocery bags or garbage bags. Items must be placed loosely into your hard plastic toter. Plastic bags jam up the recycling sorting machinery and are a primary cause of rejected loads.
Keep Pizza Boxes Clean
While clean, corrugated cardboard is highly encouraged during Fibers week, pizza boxes soaked in grease or left with food scraps are considered contaminated. Tear off the clean top for recycling and throw the greasy bottom in your private trash.
Seasonal Information
Autumn
October - DecemberThe DPW conducts four rounds of loose leaf pickup. You may rake leaves to the street edge, but no earlier than the Sunday before your collection week. Alternatively, you can drop them off at the Boyden Avenue DPW yard.
Spring
March - MayThe Spring Rake Out program allows residents to dispose of garden debris. All leaves must be in paper bags or reusable containers, and branches must be tied in bundles easily handled by one person. Loose street piles are not allowed in spring.
Winter
December - FebruaryDuring heavy snowfall, ensure your privately collected trash bins and municipal recycling toters are easily accessible from the street and not buried behind snowbanks.
About Maplewood Waste Management
Private Trash Hauling in Maplewood
In Maplewood, household garbage is not managed by the Department of Public Works. Instead, residents must set up private collection services with third-party haulers like Waste Management or Waste Industries. Because you choose your own provider, trash collection days, bulk pickup allowances, and bin rules will depend entirely on your chosen company's specific service agreement.
Dual-Stream Municipal Recycling System
While trash is privatized, curbside recycling is uniformly managed by the Township and F. Basso Jr. Rubbish Removal. As of January 2023, Maplewood enforces a strict dual-stream recycling schedule. You must separate your recyclables into 'Fibers' (cardboard and paper) and 'Commingled' (glass, metal, and plastic containers). These categories are picked up on alternating weeks, ensuring a cleaner recycling process and reducing cross-contamination.
Stringent Gas-Powered Leaf Blower Ban
Maplewood takes environmental sustainability and noise reduction seriously. Effective January 1, 2023, the Township enacted a year-round ban on all gas-powered leaf blowers. This prohibition also covers adapted uses, such as blowing out gutters or applying chemical treatments. Residents and their hired landscapers must use electric alternatives or traditional raking methods to maintain their yards.
Appliance and Metal Pickup by the DPW
Even though general bulk trash (like mattresses or wooden furniture) must be handled by your private trash hauler, the Maplewood DPW steps in to collect large metal items. If you need to dispose of a washing machine, dishwasher, or scrap metal, you can schedule a special curbside pickup by calling the DPW directly. Air conditioners and electronics, however, must be dropped off at the Boyden Avenue recycling center.
Seasonal Rake-Out and Leaf Collection Programs
The Township runs specific seasonal yard waste programs. During the Spring Rake Out, residents must bundle branches (up to four feet long) and place leaves in reusable containers or paper bags. During the Autumn Leaf Pickup, which consists of four scheduled rounds, residents are permitted to rake loose leaves directly into the street. Leaves should not be put out more than seven days before your scheduled collection week.
Drop-off Facilities
Maplewood DPW Recycling Center
359 Boyden Avenue, Maplewood, NJ 07040
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Township of Maplewood pick up my household garbage?
No. Maplewood does not provide municipal trash collection. Residents must hire a private waste management company, such as Waste Industries or Waste Management, for their regular garbage pickup.
What is the dual-stream recycling system in Maplewood?
Starting in January 2023, Maplewood transitioned to a dual-stream system. This means you must separate Fibers (paper and cardboard) from Commingled items (plastic, glass, and metal). These categories are picked up on alternating weeks depending on your neighborhood zone.
Can my landscaper use a gas-powered leaf blower?
No. Maplewood has enacted a strict year-round ban on the use of all gas-powered leaf blowers within township limits, effective January 1, 2023. Violators are subject to fines, and electric blowers or manual raking must be used instead.
How do I dispose of old paint or motor oil?
Motor oil can be poured into the large yellow disposal canister at the DPW Recycling Center on Boyden Avenue. Paint disposal falls under Essex County hazardous waste guidelines, though fully dried latex paint can often be disposed of in your regular private trash. Never pour oil or wet paint down the drain.