Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Ocean Township
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.
Green cart Bin (Trash)
Trash must be placed entirely inside the green Township-issued cart. Carts must be curbside by 6:00 AM on collection day but no earlier than 6:00 PM the night before.
Accepted Items
- ✓Household garbage
- ✓Food waste
- ✓Weeds, flowers, and plants
- ✓Broken fluorescent bulbs (sealed in plastic)
- ✓Non-recyclable packaging
Blue cart Bin (Recycling)
All recyclables must be placed loose in the blue cart. Shredded paper is accepted only if placed inside a brown paper bag or cardboard box. No plastic bags allowed.
Accepted Items
- ✓Glass bottles and jars
- ✓Plastic containers with numbers 1-7
- ✓Aluminum and tin cans
- ✓Cardboard and pizza boxes
- ✓Newspaper and junk mail
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic bags
- ✕Styrofoam
- ✕Mirrors and ceramics
- ✕Pots and pans
- ✕Shredded paper in plastic bags
Yard Waste Bin
Leaves and brush must be kept separate. Loose brush is collected April-October. Loose leaves are collected March-April and Oct-Dec. Grass clippings are strictly prohibited at the curb.
Accepted Items
- ✓Leaves
- ✓Brush
- ✓Branches
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Once a month on designated Mondays based on your Zone (1st, 2nd, 3rd, or 4th Monday).
Placement
Items must be neatly placed at the curb. Metal and appliances must not be mixed with standard bulk trash, as they are only collected on the fifth Monday of a month.
Accepted
- ✓ Sofas and chairs
- ✓ Mattresses and box springs
- ✓ Tables and bookshelves
- ✓ Dried empty paint cans
- ✓ Up to three 45-gal cans of brush (winter only)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Propane tanks
- ✕ Electronic waste (TVs, computers)
- ✕ Metal and appliances (collected separately)
- ✕ Concrete and construction debris
Standard residential bulk pickup is free. Residents must pay for Freon removal on appliances prior to the fifth Monday collection.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
The Sanitation Division works all holidays except New Year's Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.
Yard Waste Exception
Yard waste and bulk collections may experience delays during weeks with major winter storms or severe weather.
When New Year's Day or Christmas Day falls on a Saturday, it is observed on the preceding Friday. If it falls on a Sunday, it is observed on the following Monday. Trash and recycling will not be collected on the observed day.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Keep Plastic Bags Out of the Blue Cart
Never place your single-stream recyclables inside plastic grocery bags. Items must be tossed loosely into the blue cart. Plastic bags jam the sorting machinery at the Monmouth County facility.
Properly Secure Shredded Paper
While shredded paper is recyclable, it causes a massive mess if placed loosely or inside plastic bags. You must secure all shredded paper inside a brown paper bag or a sealed cardboard box before tossing it into the blue cart.
No Weeds in the Brush Pile
Do not mix weeds, flowers, or garden cleanup debris into your curbside brush piles. These items should be placed directly into your green garbage cart with your regular household trash.
Seasonal Information
Spring & Fall
March - April & October - DecemberLeaves are collected loose in the street during these two seasonal windows. Piles must not extend more than five feet into the roadway and must be kept at least 10 feet from storm drains.
Spring & Summer
April 1 - October 1Branches and brush are collected loose in the street. Limbs must not exceed 4 feet in length or 24 inches in diameter. From November to March, loose brush collection is entirely suspended.
Summer
April 15 - November 30Grass clippings cannot be left at the curb. The Township encourages 'cut it and leave it,' but residents can drop grass clippings at the Sunset Avenue Recycling Center during this period.
About Ocean Township Waste Management
Automated Zoned Collection System in Ocean Township
Ocean Township utilizes a streamlined, automated zone-based collection system for both household garbage and single-stream recycling. Every residential dwelling is provided with a green cart for standard refuse and a blue cart for recyclables, which are serviced on the same day each week. Residents must place carts with the lid arrows pointing toward the street and keep them at least three feet away from vehicles, mailboxes, and trees. Because the system relies on mechanical arms, drivers will not exit the trucks to collect loose bags placed outside the bins.
Strict Regulations on E-Waste and Hazardous Materials
Following New Jersey's Electronic Waste Management Act, Ocean Township completely bans electronics from standard curbside trash collection. Residents must bring all e-waste—ranging from televisions and computers to microwaves and cell phones—to the Sunset Avenue Recycling Drop-off Center. Similarly, household hazardous waste such as propane tanks, wet paint, and antifreeze is prohibited at the curb and must be scheduled for disposal at the Monmouth County Household Hazardous Waste Facility located in neighboring Tinton Falls.
Fifth Monday Collections for Metals and Appliances
While standard bulk trash like furniture is picked up once a month, scrap metal and large household appliances (white goods) are on a much rarer schedule. The Sanitation Division only collects these items on the fifth Monday of the month (which occurs only four times a year). Strict environmental protocols apply: any appliance that uses Freon, such as refrigerators or air conditioners, must have the refrigerant professionally removed and tagged with proof before public works crews will touch it.
Stormwater Protection and Yard Waste Protocols
Ocean Township is highly proactive in preventing stormwater pollution from washing into local lakes and the Atlantic Ocean. Although leaves and brush are permitted to be piled loose in the street during specific seasonal collection windows, they must never be placed within ten feet of a storm drain inlet. Furthermore, leaves and brush must be kept in completely separate piles; mixing them, or adding garbage to the piles, disrupts the municipal composting process and can severely damage the DPW's vacuum machinery.
Drop-off Facilities
Sunset Avenue Recycling Drop-off Center
3602 Sunset Avenue, Ocean Township, NJ 07712
Materials Accepted
Monmouth County Household Hazardous Waste Facility
3211 Shafto Road, Tinton Falls, NJ 07753
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I do with my grass clippings in Ocean Township?
Grass clippings are strictly prohibited from curbside collection. The Township recommends using the 'cut it and leave it' method to naturally fertilize your lawn. Alternatively, residents can drop off unbagged grass clippings at the Sunset Avenue Recycling Center dumpsters between April 15 and November 30.
When does the Township collect bulk trash like furniture?
Standard bulk items, such as mattresses and couches, are collected once a month on specific Mondays depending on your zone. Zone 1 is collected on the first Monday, Zone 2 on the second, Zone 3 on the third, and Zone 4 on the fourth Monday of the month.
How do I dispose of a refrigerator or large metal appliance?
Metal and appliances are not collected with regular bulk trash. Instead, they are collected exclusively on the fifth Monday of any month that has five Mondays. Before placing a refrigerator or AC unit at the curb, you must have the Freon professionally removed and provide proof of removal.
When is brush collected loose at the curb?
Branches and brush can be placed loose in the street from April 1 through October 1. From November through March, loose brush collection is suspended; during these winter months, small amounts of brush must be bundled or containerized and put out on your designated bulk trash day.