Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Middletown
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.
Township-provided Black Cart Bin (Trash)
All trash must fit inside the black cart with the lid closed. Bags outside the cart will not be collected. Ensure a 4-foot clearance around the cart.
Accepted Items
- ✓Standard household garbage
- ✓Food waste
- ✓Non-recyclable packaging
Township-provided Blue Cart Bin (Recycling)
Single-stream collection; items must be placed loose in the blue cart, never bagged. Cardboard must be broken down to fit inside.
Accepted Items
- ✓Glass bottles and jars
- ✓Aluminum and tin cans
- ✓Plastics #1, #2, and #5
- ✓Mixed paper and newspaper
- ✓Flattened cardboard (must fit inside)
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic bags or film
- ✕Styrofoam (EPS)
- ✕Food or liquid waste
- ✕Tanglers (cords, hoses)
- ✕Clothing or linens
Yard Waste Bin
Place loose at the curb (no bags) up to one week prior to scheduled zone collection. Maximum volume of 4 cubic yards per property.
Accepted Items
- ✓Brush and tree limbs (max 3 ft length)
- ✓Leaves (during fall collection only)
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Scheduled via Recycle Coach / Varies by Zone
Placement
Place items curbside the night before your scheduled bulk pickup date. Maintain a 4-foot clearance from carts and mailboxes.
Accepted
- ✓ Couches and wood furniture
- ✓ Carpets
- ✓ Porcelain items (e.g., toilets)
- ✓ Mattresses
- ✓ Christmas trees
Not Accepted
- ✕ Appliances (requires separate fee/request)
- ✕ Electronics and TVs
- ✕ Construction debris
- ✕ Propane tanks
- ✕ Railroad ties or treated lumber
Standard bulk is included for residents, but Freon-containing appliances require a specific paid request.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
There is no garbage or recycling collection on New Year's Day, Thanksgiving, or Christmas. If your garbage day falls on one of these holidays, it will be collected on your NEXT scheduled pickup day.
Yard Waste Exception
Brush and leaf collections operate on multi-day zone schedules, but work is suspended on all major municipal holidays.
If your recycling day falls on one of the three observed holidays, it will be collected on the following Saturday.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Keep Styrofoam Out of the Blue Cart
Never place foam packaging, peanuts, or coolers in your curbside recycling bin. Clean Styrofoam should be driven to the Kanes Lane Recycling Center or the Train Station drop-off for specialized recycling.
Ditch the Plastic Bags
Recyclables must be tossed loosely into your blue cart. If you bag your cans and bottles in a plastic garbage or grocery bag, the entire cart will be rejected as contamination.
Cardboard Must Fit Inside
Large cardboard boxes cannot be left on the ground next to your recycling bin. The trucks use automated arms, so all cardboard must be broken down flat and placed completely inside the blue cart.
Seasonal Information
Winter
JanuaryChristmas trees can be picked up at the curb during your scheduled bulk collection day, or you can drop them off directly at the Middletown Recycling Center on Kanes Lane.
Spring & Fall
Varies by ZoneBrush and leaf collection follow distinct seasonal schedules based on your neighborhood zone. Check the Township website or Recycle Coach to ensure you don't place yard waste out too early.
Year-Round
Year-RoundThe main Kanes Lane Recycling Center accepts brush year-round, and leaves from November 1st through May 31st, for residents who miss their curbside zone pickup.
About Middletown Waste Management
Middletown's Two-Zone Automated Garbage System
Trash collection in Middletown Township operates on a strict two-zone schedule [2.2.2]. Residents in the North Zone receive curbside garbage service on Mondays and Thursdays, while the South Zone is serviced on Tuesdays and Fridays. The Department of Public Works utilizes automated mechanical arms for pickup, meaning all household trash must fit entirely inside your Township-provided black cart. Garbage bags placed on the ground next to the cart will be left behind, and bins must have at least 4 feet of clearance from mailboxes, cars, and other carts to ensure successful collection.
Navigating the Four-Item Bulk Waste Limit
When scheduling a bulk waste pickup through the Township's Recycle Coach app, residents must adhere to strict size and quantity limits. A maximum of four bulk items can be placed at the curb per scheduled collection. Additionally, no single item can exceed 75 pounds or 6 feet in length. Acceptable materials include wood furniture, carpets, toilets, and couches. However, white goods (appliances), electronics, and construction debris are completely prohibited from standard bulk pickup and require separate disposal methods.
The Convenient 24/7 Satellite Recycling Center
To make recycling easier, Middletown offers a 24/7 Satellite Recycling Center located at the main parking lot of the Middletown Train Station on Church Street. This highly accessible drop-off point accepts cardboard (brown container), mixed paper (green container), commingled recyclables (blue containers), and clean, white Styrofoam. Residents are warned that leaving unaccepted items, or placing materials on the ground if bins are full, constitutes illegal dumping under Township Ordinance 540-517.
Strict Rules for Seasonal Brush Collection
During the Township's designated spring and fall brush collection windows, residents can place tree parts and loose brush at the curb. However, volume is heavily restricted: piles must not exceed 4 cubic yards (approximately 3 feet wide, 2 feet high, and 18 feet long). Brush must never be placed in bags. Once a zone's collection begins, it can take crews up to 10 days to complete the route, but brush cannot be placed out after the street has already been serviced.
Handling Styrofoam and Electronic Waste
Styrofoam (Expanded Polystyrene) is strictly banned from curbside blue recycling carts. Fortunately, Middletown is proactive about recycling this material; clean, white packing foam and coolers can be dropped off at both the Train Station and the main Kanes Lane facility. Electronic waste, such as televisions, computers, and monitors, also cannot be placed in curbside trash or bulk piles due to state laws. All e-waste must be driven directly to the Middletown Recycling Center on Kanes Lane.
Drop-off Facilities
Middletown Recycling Center
52 Kanes Lane, Middletown, NJ 07748
Materials Accepted
Middletown Train Station Satellite Center
Church Street (Main Parking Lot), Middletown, NJ
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
What days does Middletown collect garbage?
Garbage is collected twice a week based on your zone. The North Zone is collected on Mondays and Thursdays, and the South Zone is collected on Tuesdays and Fridays. All trash must be in the black Township cart.
How do I throw away large furniture in Middletown, NJ?
You can schedule a bulk pickup through the Recycle Coach app. You are allowed up to 4 items per pickup, and no single item can weigh more than 75 pounds or be longer than 6 feet. Construction debris and electronics are not allowed.
Where can I recycle Styrofoam or old TVs?
Styrofoam and electronics cannot go in your curbside bins. You can bring clean Styrofoam to the 24/7 Train Station drop-off or the main Kanes Lane facility. Electronics must be brought exclusively to the Kanes Lane Recycling Center.
Does Middletown pick up trash on holidays?
The Township suspends garbage and recycling collection only on three major holidays: New Year's Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. If a holiday falls on your trash day, wait until your next scheduled collection day. If it impacts your recycling day, collection shifts to that Saturday.