Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Cheektowaga
Trash Day
Monday through Friday, determined by street schedule
Recycling
Every other week on your assigned collection day
Yard Waste
Weekly on your collection day from mid-April through mid-November (seasonal curbside leaf pickup in fall)
Set Out Time
By 6:00 AM on collection day (and not before 3:00 PM the day prior)
Utility Billing & Payments
Manage your local solid waste services
Trash and recycling services are funded through the annual town property tax levy rather than a separate monthly utility bill.
Billing Cycle
Included in Property Taxes
Accepted Methods
Online, Mail, In-Person, 24/7 Drop Box, Electronic Check, Credit Card, Debit Card
Pro Tip / Discount
Senior citizen, low-income disability, and veteran property tax exemptions are available through the Assessor's Office.
Town-issued garbage tote (Green or Dark color) Bin (Trash)
All garbage must be in the town-issued tote, which has a strict 150-pound maximum weight limit. The trash tote handle MUST face the street. Do not overload or leave the lid open.
Accepted Items
- ✓Standard household refuse
- ✓Food waste
- ✓Non-recyclable plastics
- ✓Winter yard waste (in plastic bags after Nov 15)
Town-issued recycling tote (Blue) Bin (Recycling)
All recyclables must be placed loose in the tote without bags (except shredded paper). The recycling tote handle MUST face your house. Keep 3 feet of clearance around the bin.
Accepted Items
- ✓Clean cardboard and paper
- ✓Plastic bottles, jugs, and tubs
- ✓Clean glass bottles and jars
- ✓Aluminum and tin cans
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic grocery bags
- ✕Styrofoam coolers and cups
- ✕Clothing and blankets
- ✕Aerosol cans and propane tanks
Yard Waste Bin
From mid-April to mid-November, use open unlined cans or biodegradable bags (max 40 lbs, limit 6 per week). Do not use plastic bags during compost season. Branches must be tied into 4-foot, 40-lb bundles.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings
- ✓Leaves
- ✓Twigs and small brush
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Weekly on your regular garbage day (Notification required for metal/electronics)
Placement
Set items out alongside your totes no earlier than 3:00 PM the day before pickup. All carpets, padding, and pool liners must be cut to 4 feet, rolled, and tied.
Accepted
- ✓ Mattresses and box springs (MUST be wrapped in plastic)
- ✓ Toilets (MUST be wrapped in plastic)
- ✓ Furniture and couches
- ✓ Rolled carpets (Max 4 feet long, 40 lbs, limit 6 rolls)
- ✓ Appliances and electronics (Requires online notification)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Contractor-generated construction debris
- ✕ Landscape timbers and railroad ties
- ✕ Pallets and firewood
- ✕ Tree stumps
- ✕ Hazardous waste and wet paint
Bulk collection is a free service for residents, provided strict weight restrictions and weekly limits (e.g., maximum 6 bundles of DIY debris) are honored.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
In Cheektowaga, trash pickup happens daily except for Christmas and New Year's Day. During the weeks of these two holidays, collection is delayed by exactly one day for the entire week.
Yard Waste Exception
Yard waste collection continues as normal throughout the summer, as most summer and fall holidays do not disrupt Cheektowaga's schedule.
Unlike many municipalities, Cheektowaga does not typically delay pickup for Memorial Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving, or Labor Day.
Observed Holidays
Seasonal Information
Spring
April - MayThe town's dedicated composting program begins around April 15th. Start using unlined trash cans or biodegradable paper bags for your grass clippings—plastic bags are strictly banned during this season.
Fall
October - NovemberAutumn leaf collection is handled by the Highway Department. Rake leaves into the right-of-way (the grassy area near the curb), but never directly into the street, as this blocks storm drains.
Winter
December - MarchAfter November 15th, the town halts its composting program. Any late-season yard debris or winter brush must be put into heavy-duty plastic bags and placed inside your normal household garbage tote.
Local Tips & Community Info
Cheektowaga Municipal Tote System Requirements
In the Town of Cheektowaga, the Sanitation Department requires all residents to utilize official town-issued wheeled totes for household garbage disposal. To ensure the safety of sanitation workers and prevent mechanical issues with the collection trucks, each tote has a strict maximum weight limit of 150 pounds. Lids must be able to close completely—overloading your bin or leaving loose bags scattered on the ground can lead to a skipped pickup. If your family regularly generates more waste than a single bin can hold, you can purchase an additional official garbage or recycling tote by contacting the Sanitation Department at (716) 686-3426 and coordinating payment with the Town Clerk's Office.
Strict Set-Out Times and Curbside Ordinances
Punctuality and neighborhood aesthetics are highly valued in Cheektowaga. To avoid code violations, homeowners must place their garbage totes at the curb no earlier than 3:00 p.m. on the evening before their scheduled collection day. All trash and recycling bins must be fully positioned at the street edge prior to 6:00 a.m. on the morning of pickup. Placing your garbage out prematurely violates local town ordinances and makes your property susceptible to municipal fines, as well as attracting unwanted nocturnal pests.
Preparing Bulk Furniture, Mattresses, and Toilets
Getting rid of bulky items is convenient, as standard household furniture is collected alongside your regular weekly trash. However, there are mandatory preparation rules. By town law, mattresses, box springs, and discarded toilets must be completely wrapped in plastic before they will be collected. If you are discarding a sleeper sofa, the heavy metal fold-out frame must be extracted beforehand. For home improvement debris like drywall, paneling, or rolled carpeting, you must cut the materials into four-foot sections, tie them securely into bundles weighing no more than 40 pounds, and limit your output to six bundles per week.
Seasonal Yard Waste and Composting Rules
Cheektowaga operates an active municipal composting program from mid-April through mid-November. During this growing season, grass clippings and leaves must be placed in open, unlidded containers or biodegradable paper lawn bags. Plastic bags are strictly prohibited and will be left on the curb. Residents are limited to six bags or cans per week, each weighing under 40 pounds. Tree branches must be tied into small bundles measuring less than four feet. Once the composting season ends around November 15, residents must switch to bagging their yard debris in heavy-duty plastic bags and placing them inside their standard garbage tote.
Electronic Waste and Household Hazards
New York State environmental regulations ban the disposal of electronic waste in standard landfills. Therefore, Cheektowaga sanitation crews will not pick up old televisions, computers, or gaming consoles left at the curb. To safely discard e-waste, residents must utilize specialized Erie County Electronics Recycling drop-off events. Hazardous chemicals like liquid paint, motor oil, and pesticides also require specialized disposal and cannot be thrown into your municipal tote.
Drop-off Facilities
Erie County Hazardous Waste Drop-Off Events
Rotating locations across Erie County (Call 716-858-6800 to confirm)
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
What time can I put my garbage out in Cheektowaga?
You must place your garbage tote at the curb before 6:00 a.m. on your collection day, but town ordinance dictates you cannot set it out earlier than 3:00 p.m. the afternoon prior.
Do I need to wrap my mattress in plastic for pickup?
Yes, the Town of Cheektowaga strictly requires all mattresses, box springs, and toilets to be completely wrapped in plastic to be collected on your regular garbage day.
What are the rules for yard waste in Cheektowaga?
From mid-April to mid-November, yard clippings must be placed in open cans or biodegradable paper bags, limited to six per week. Plastic bags are strictly banned during the composting season.