Clear Garbage Bags Only Bin (Trash)
Trash must be in clear plastic bags (max 30 lbs each). Limit of 6 bags per week. Place out no earlier than 12 hours before pick-up. No loose waste allowed inside cans.
Accepted Items
- ✓Standard household garbage
- ✓Dry and empty paint cans (lids off)
- ✓Securely wrapped broken glass
- ✓Broken toys and flower pots
Blue Bin Bin (Recycling)
Place the recycling bin at the curb alongside your clear trash bags. Ensure all food containers are fully rinsed. Labels do not need to be removed.
Accepted Items
- ✓Clean boxboard and cardboard
- ✓Office paper, junk mail, and magazines
- ✓Glass bottles and jars (rinsed)
- ✓Plastic bottles #1-7
- ✓Tin and aluminum cans (rinsed)
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic bags
- ✕Styrofoam
- ✕Ceramics and glassware
- ✕Electronics and batteries
- ✕Broken glass
Yard Waste Bin
Rake loose leaves to the curb (not in the street) between late October and early December. Bagged leaves are strictly prohibited.
Accepted Items
- ✓Loose leaves (Autumn only)
- ✓Christmas trees (post-December 26)
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Every Friday morning (registration required)
Placement
Place approved bulky items at the curb prior to Friday morning only after securing your paid registration with the City Clerk.
Accepted
- ✓ Washers and dryers
- ✓ Sofas and chairs
- ✓ Stoves, microwaves, and dishwashers
- ✓ Trash compactors
- ✓ Scrap metal
Not Accepted
- ✕ Refrigerators, freezers, and air conditioners
- ✕ Anything containing Freon or toxic chemicals
- ✕ Mattresses and box springs
- ✕ Lawnmowers
The $35 fee is non-refundable, even if private scavengers take the item before city crews arrive. Proof of Elmira residency is strictly required.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
The City of Elmira Sanitation crews operate on all holidays. Your trash will be collected on its normal schedule. Place your clear bags and bins out by 3:00 AM.
Yard Waste Exception
Seasonal leaf collections may pause during severe weather or Thanksgiving week, but standard refuse collection continues uninterrupted.
Crews work early shifts (3:00 AM to 11:00 AM) every day, including holidays. Never delay putting your trash out during holiday weeks.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Wrap Your Broken Glass
Broken glass is highly dangerous to sanitation workers and is not recyclable. Always wrap broken glass securely in a paper bag before placing it inside your clear solid waste bag.
Empty Out Your Paint Cans
Liquid paint is banned from the landfill. To dispose of old paint cans, completely dry out the latex paint, remove the lid, and place the empty can directly in your clear trash bag.
Avoid Bagging Recyclables
Never put your recyclables inside plastic bags. Drop them loosely in your recycling bin, as Chemung County processes paper, glass, and plastic together in a single-stream format.
Seasonal Information
Winter
December - MarchFor the safety of sanitation crews, do not place your clear bags or recycling bins on top of snowbanks. Shovel a clear space in your driveway approach for curbside placement.
Autumn
October - DecemberThe DPW collects bulk loose leaves during the autumn transition. Rake your leaves to the curbline, avoiding the actual street, as the city operates vacuum trucks to clear the debris.
Post-Holiday
December - JanuaryFor households actively paying the sanitation fee, Christmas tree pickup begins on December 26th. Simply place your tree between the curb and the sidewalk for removal.
About Elmira Waste Management
Elmira's Opt-In Clear Bag Sanitation Program
The City of Elmira utilizes a unique opt-in municipal sanitation program. Residents must formally register with the Assessor's Office and pay an annual $365 fee, which is billed alongside city taxes. Once enrolled, households are strictly required to place their garbage exclusively in clear plastic bags—black or opaque bags are not accepted, and no loose trash is permitted in cans. You are allowed up to six clear bags per week, with a strict 30-pound limit per bag.
Scheduling Furniture and Appliance Removal
If you need to dispose of bulky items like sofas, dishwashers, or washers, the Elmira Department of Public Works provides a specialized Friday morning pickup service. However, this is not a free or automatic service. Residents must visit the City Clerk's Office to show proof of residency and pay a $35 non-refundable fee per item by 3:00 PM on Wednesday to secure a spot on Friday's route. Items containing Freon or mattresses are strictly prohibited.
Chemung County Single-Stream Recycling
Elmira adheres to the Chemung County Solid Waste District's single-stream recycling protocols. This means that all acceptable cardboard, paper, glass jars, and plastic bottles (numbers 1 through 7) can be comingled in your curbside bin. Always ensure your recycling bin is placed adjacent to your clear garbage bags on your designated collection morning. Remember, plastic bags jam the local sorting machinery and are forbidden in the blue bins.
Autumn Bulk Leaf Collection Guidelines
To manage heavy autumn yard debris, the City of Elmira offers a seasonal bulk leaf pickup program that typically runs from late October through early December. Due to shifts in New York State environmental regulations, the city can no longer accept leaves in plastic bags. Instead, residents are required to rake loose leaves to the curbline—taking care to keep them out of the paved roadway and storm drains—for collection by municipal vacuum trucks.
Extremely Early Collection Hours and Holidays
Elmira's sanitation crews run on a highly accelerated schedule, beginning their routes at 3:00 AM and finishing around 11:00 AM. Unlike most municipalities, these crews continue to operate on this exact schedule straight through all major holidays. Because of these early hours, residents must place their clear bags and recycling at the curb the night before, but no earlier than 12 hours prior to the collection day to avoid Code Enforcement citations.
Drop-off Facilities
Chemung County Lake Street Transfer Station
1690 Lake Street, Elmira, NY 14901
Materials Accepted
Elmira City Yards Compost Facility
840 Linden Place, Elmira, NY 14901
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I sign up for trash pickup in Elmira?
The city offers an opt-in municipal program. You must register at the Assessor's Office and pay an annual $365 fee, which is added to your city property taxes. Once enrolled, you are allowed up to 6 clear garbage bags per week.
Can I put my trash out in regular black garbage bags?
No, the City of Elmira strictly requires all standard household solid waste to be placed in clear garbage bags. Solid waste cannot be loose in garbage cans, and black bags are not accepted by the sanitation crews.
How do I throw away an old couch or washing machine in Elmira?
The DPW offers a Furniture and Appliance Pick-Up service every Friday. You must visit the City Clerk's Office by 3:00 PM on Wednesday, show proof of residency, and pay a non-refundable $35 fee per item to get on the schedule.
Is trash picked up on holidays in Elmira?
Yes. Unlike many municipalities, Elmira's sanitation crews work straight through all holidays. Your trash will be collected on your normal scheduled day, and crews begin their routes as early as 3:00 AM.