Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Gates
Trash Day
Residential trash collection is handled by town-approved private refuse haulers (including Waste Management, Oaks Disposal, Casella, Suburban Disposal, and White Trash Rubbish Disposal). Collection days run Monday through Friday depending on your chosen provider and street location.
Recycling
Recycling is collected curbside by your contracted private hauler on your assigned service day.
Yard Waste
Curbside brush and yard debris are collected weekly by the Town Highway Department from spring through fall (starting around April 1st), with continuous leaf collection occurring late October through December. Specific pickup days vary by street.
Set Out Time
By 6:00 AM on collection day
Utility Billing & Payments
Manage your local solid waste services
Household trash and recycling are not billed on town property taxes; residents select and pay a town-licensed private hauler directly.
Billing Cycle
Quarterly or Monthly (billed directly by private hauler)
Accepted Methods
Online, Auto-Pay, Mail, Phone
Provided by Private Hauler Bin (Trash)
Trash must be placed in carts provided by your private hauler. Bins should typically be placed at the curb the night before or by 6:00 AM on collection day. Follow your specific carter's container weight limits.
Accepted Items
- ✓Standard household refuse
- ✓Food packaging and wrappers
- ✓Non-recyclable paper and plastics
- ✓Styrofoam
Provided by Private Hauler Bin (Recycling)
Monroe County mandates single-stream recycling. Place all clean and empty recyclables loosely in the bin. Do not bag your recycling in plastic garbage bags, as this causes severe sorting issues at the facility.
Accepted Items
- ✓Flattened cardboard
- ✓Office paper, magazines, and mail
- ✓Plastic bottles and jugs
- ✓Glass bottles and jars
- ✓Aluminum and tin cans
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic shopping bags
- ✕Electronic waste
- ✕Batteries (alkaline and lithium)
- ✕Tanglers (hoses, cords)
- ✕Scrap metal
Yard Waste Bin
The Highway Department collects brush at the curb. Ensure branches are stacked with cut ends facing the same direction. Leaves must be unbagged and kept on the grass edge, completely out of the paved gutter.
Accepted Items
- ✓Brush and shrubs
- ✓Tree branches (6 to 8 feet in length)
- ✓Clean wood (cut to 4-foot lengths without nails)
- ✓Leaves (during fall collection only)
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
On-demand via private hauler arrangement.
Placement
Do not place bulky items at the curb without first scheduling and confirming a pickup date with your private hauler to avoid violating local town nuisance and right-of-way ordinances.
Accepted
- ✓ Sofas and large furniture
- ✓ Mattresses and box springs
- ✓ Appliances (via private hauler rules)
- ✓ Rolled carpeting
Not Accepted
- ✕ Televisions and computer monitors
- ✕ Household hazardous waste
- ✕ Liquid paint
- ✕ Tires (except during specific town spring week)
Private haulers will charge additional per-item or volume-based fees for bulk item removal, as this is not covered by standard weekly subscription rates.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
Major private haulers generally observe these six core holidays. If a holiday falls on a weekday, curbside trash and recycling collections are pushed back one day for the remainder of that week.
Yard Waste Exception
Highway Department brush and leaf operations do not run on town-observed holidays. During peak fall leaf season, a holiday closure simply means the vacuum trucks will resume their continuous route the following business day.
Because you contract privately, always consult your specific hauler (e.g., Casella, WM, Oaks) for their precise holiday schedule, as minor holidays like Columbus Day or Veterans Day may not trigger a delay.
Observed Holidays
Seasonal Information
Spring
MayDuring the first week of May, the Gates Highway Department typically offers a special tire collection, picking up a maximum of two unmounted passenger tires per household.
Fall
Late October - Mid-DecemberStandard brush collection is suspended to allocate all equipment and manpower to leaf vacuuming. Collection speeds are highly dependent on weather; wet or frozen leaves take significantly longer to process.
Winter
JanuaryThe Highway Department collects discarded Christmas trees at the curb throughout January as weather permits. Ensure all lights, ornaments, and stands are completely removed before setting the tree out.
Local Tips & Community Info
Securing a Licensed Garbage Carter
For homeowners residing in the Town of Gates, municipal garbage trucks do not cruise the neighborhoods. Refuse and recycling collection is entirely privatized, meaning you are responsible for selecting and paying an independent sanitation company. Several licensed haulers operate within the town, including major providers like Waste Management and Suburban Disposal. Because the open market dictates pricing, it is highly advisable to contact a few different companies to compare monthly rates, container sizes, and designated pickup days before signing a residential contract.
County-Wide Recycling Mandates
Regardless of which private carter you choose, all residents must adhere to Monroe County's comprehensive recycling guidelines. Acceptable curbside items generally include rinsed glass jars, aluminum cans, cardboard boxes, and rigid plastic containers. It is imperative that you do not bag your recyclables; items should be placed loosely into your provided tote. Flimsy plastics, such as grocery bags or bubble wrap, tangle the sorting machinery at regional recycling facilities and must be returned to local supermarkets for proper recycling.
Highway Department Yard Debris Services
While your private hauler handles standard household trash, the Town of Gates Highway Department provides valuable yard waste services. From spring through early autumn, town crews follow a rotational schedule to collect brush and tree limbs. To guarantee pickup, branches must be cut to specific lengths and neatly stacked parallel to the roadside, away from mailboxes and utility poles. Additionally, the town conducts a massive leaf pickup operation every fall. Residents are asked to rake loose leaves right to the edge of the curb, ensuring they do not block storm drains or spill into the active roadway.
Disposing of Hazardous Materials and E-Waste
You cannot throw old electronics, wet paint, or harsh chemicals into your standard garbage bin. Instead, Gates residents have access to the Monroe County ecopark located on Aviation Avenue. This state-of-the-art facility is designed to safely process hazardous household waste. While dropping off old televisions, computers, and batteries is generally straightforward, disposing of chemicals like pesticides or oil-based paints requires scheduling a drop-off appointment in advance through the ecopark's online system.
Winter Curbside Etiquette
Western New York winters present unique challenges for sanitation collection. During heavy snowfall, the Town of Gates strictly prohibits placing trash and recycling receptacles in the street or on top of snowbanks. Bins must be kept safely in your driveway, cleared of snow, to prevent them from being struck by municipal snowplows. Ensuring your carts are visible and accessible keeps your neighborhood safe and prevents your service from being skipped during a blizzard.
Drop-off Facilities
Monroe County Ecopark
10 Avion Drive, Rochester, NY 14624
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
Does my town tax bill cover weekly garbage pickup?
No. The Town of Gates does not provide municipal trash service. Residents must independently hire a licensed private waste hauling company for weekly curbside collection.
Will the town pick up my loose tree branches?
Yes, the Town of Gates Highway Department runs a seasonal brush collection route. Branches must be neatly stacked parallel to the street and clear of any obstacles for the crews to collect them.
Where should I take my broken computer monitor?
Electronic waste cannot be put in your curbside bin. You must transport old electronics to the Monroe County ecopark on Aviation Avenue for safe and legal disposal.