Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for West Deptford
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 (95-gallon cart) Bin (Trash)
All household waste must be properly bagged and placed inside the green 95-gallon trash cart. Carts must be placed at the curb between 6:00 PM the day prior and 6:00 AM on the day of collection.
Accepted Items
- ✓Standard bagged household garbage
- ✓Food waste
- ✓Grass clippings (bagged)
- ✓Non-recyclable packaging
Standard Township Recycling Container (often blue or yellow-lidded) Bin (Recycling)
Place your recycling container adjacent to your trash cart, ensuring it is clearly visible. Do not bag recyclables. Plastic bottle caps must be removed and discarded in the regular trash.
Accepted Items
- ✓Plastic containers #1, #2, #4, #5, #7
- ✓Aluminum and steel cans
- ✓Glass bottles and jars (flint, amber, emerald)
- ✓Corrugated cardboard and mixed paper
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic lids and caps
- ✕Plastic shopping bags
- ✕Styrofoam
- ✕Household batteries
- ✕Pizza boxes with heavy grease
Yard Waste Bin
Brush and branches must be kept under 6 feet in length and placed neatly at the curb for the daily brush truck. Grass clippings should be placed inside your green trash cart.
Accepted Items
- ✓Branches and brush (up to 6 feet in length)
- ✓Leaves
- ✓Grass clippings (must go in trash cart)
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Weekly, on your regular trash collection day.
Placement
Items must be no longer than four feet. To prevent heavy saturation and difficulty for the haulers, try to place mattresses and upholstered furniture at the curb on days when rain is not in the forecast.
Accepted
- ✓ Furniture and couches
- ✓ Mattresses and box springs
- ✓ Rolled carpets
- ✓ Appliances and metal
- ✓ Electronics
Not Accepted
- ✕ Contractor and construction debris
- ✕ Hazardous materials
- ✕ Excessive tree stumps
Standard household bulk pickup is free. Homeowners tackling large projects should utilize the Township's free Dumpster Reservation program rather than placing excessive bulk at the curb.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
West Deptford utilizes a unique holiday shift schedule. If your collection day falls on an observed holiday (e.g., Monday or Friday), your trash and recycling will typically be rescheduled to Wednesday of that same week.
Yard Waste Exception
Brush truck operations and specialized pickups may be temporarily suspended during holiday weeks to prioritize standard municipal household waste.
Because makeup days are almost always shifted to Wednesdays, residents should consistently check the Township's online calendar or newsletters before major holidays.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Toss the Caps
When recycling plastic bottles and jugs (like milk, water, or laundry detergent), you must remove the caps. Lids and caps are not accepted in the recycling stream and will contaminate the load. Throw them in your green trash cart.
Keep Plastic Bags Out
Never put your recyclables in plastic grocery bags or garbage bags. These film plastics jam the gears at the Gloucester County sorting facilities. Keep all cans, bottles, and paper loose in the bin.
No Contractor Debris at the Curb
If you hire a professional landscape contractor or builder for tree removal or home renovations, they are legally responsible for hauling away the resulting debris. Municipal trucks will not pick up contractor-generated waste.
Seasonal Information
Spring
April to JuneThis is peak brush cleanup season. The Township's dedicated brush truck runs daily, often collecting over 100 yards of yard debris during heavy weeks. Ensure branches are cut to manageable 6-foot lengths so crews can process them quickly.
Summer
June to AugustSummer mowing generates heavy grass clipping volumes. Instead of filling your green trash cart, the Township heavily encourages 'grasscycling'—using a mulching mower or removing the bag to leave the clippings on your lawn for natural fertilization.
Winter
December to FebruaryDuring major snow events, residents must keep their automated carts clear of snowbanks. Do not place carts directly in the street where they might interfere with municipal snow plows or cause traffic hazards.
About West Deptford Waste Management
Automated Waste Collection Protocols in West Deptford
West Deptford Township maintains its own automated municipal trash collection through the Department of Public Works. Each household is issued a green 95-gallon cart for standard household refuse. To ensure smooth automated collection, residents must bag all garbage before placing it inside the cart. Bins must be rolled to the curb by 6:00 a.m. on collection day, but no earlier than 6:00 p.m. the night before, and must be promptly removed once emptied.
Managing Yard Debris and the Grasscycling Initiative
Unlike many New Jersey towns that require separate biodegradable bags for grass, West Deptford handles yard waste uniquely. Grass clippings must be bagged and placed directly inside the green 95-gallon trash cart. However, the Township heavily encourages 'grasscycling'—leaving cut grass on the lawn to act as natural fertilizer. For woody debris, a dedicated municipal brush truck runs daily; residents can leave branches up to 6 feet long neatly at the curb for pickup.
Navigating Bulk Pickups and the Free Dumpster Program
Bulk items, including electronics, metal, and old furniture, are collected concurrently with regular household trash but are serviced by a separate corresponding truck. Residents are advised to check the weather and place absorbent items like mattresses and couches out only when rain isn't forecasted. For extensive DIY home renovations, West Deptford offers a highly valuable, free-of-cost residential dumpster reservation program, eliminating the need to stack large piles of debris at the curbline.
Gloucester County Recycling Mandates and Drop-Off Locations
Adhering to county-wide sustainability goals, West Deptford enforces strict rules on curbside recycling. Plastic containers labeled #1, #2, #4, #5, and #7 are accepted, but all caps and lids must be removed and discarded into the regular trash. Additionally, the Public Works garage on Grove Road serves as a convenient drop-off point for residents to recycle up to two gallons of used motor oil on weekdays, as well as designated bins for button and rechargeable batteries.
Drop-off Facilities
West Deptford Public Works Garage
124 Grove Road, West Deptford, NJ 08086
Materials Accepted
RiverWinds Community Center
1000 RiverWinds Drive, West Deptford, NJ 08086
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I place my trash cart out for collection in West Deptford?
Your green 95-gallon cart must be placed at the curb before 6:00 AM on your scheduled collection day, but no earlier than 6:00 PM the evening before. Carts must be promptly removed after pickup.
How does the holiday trash schedule work?
Unlike towns that simply delay pickup by one day for the rest of the week, West Deptford typically reschedules collections that fall on a holiday directly to Wednesday of that same week, since Wednesdays do not have regular residential routes.
How do I dispose of grass clippings?
The Township highly recommends 'grasscycling' (leaving clippings on the lawn). If you must dispose of them, they are one of the few yard waste items that should be bagged and placed inside your green 95-gallon trash cart, not in separate yard waste bags.
What is the free dumpster program?
For significant household cleanouts or DIY residential projects creating excess waste, West Deptford offers residents a free-of-cost dumpster reservation program. This avoids the need to pile massive amounts of bulk trash at the curb.