Black body with Black lid (65 or 95-gallon) Bin (Trash)
All trash must fit inside the cart with the lid tightly closed. Carts must be placed at the curb by 6:00 a.m. with handles facing the house and 3 feet of clearance on all sides. Overflow requires an Extra Capacity Sticker.
Accepted Items
- ✓Standard household garbage
- ✓Food waste
- ✓Non-recyclable packaging
Black body with Red lid Bin (Recycling)
Collected every other week. Recyclables must be clean and loose inside the cart (never bagged). Cardboard can be cut into 3' x 3' squares, tied, and stacked neatly next to the recycling cart.
Accepted Items
- ✓Cardboard
- ✓Paper and mail
- ✓Clear and clean glass bottles/jars
- ✓Plastic tubs and containers
- ✓Metal cans
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic bags or film
- ✕Styrofoam (foam)
- ✕Waxed boxboard
- ✕Food waste
- ✕Yard debris
Yard Waste Bin
Must be placed at the curb LOOSE. Do not put yard waste in bags, cans, or any type of container. Branches must be piled neatly with the cut ends facing the street. Collected continually by the Highway Dept.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings
- ✓Leaves
- ✓Twigs and branches (under 8 feet long and 6 inches diameter)
- ✓Shrubs and roots
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Monthly (Second full week of the month)
Placement
Place your allowed three bulk items neatly at the curb no earlier than 5:00 p.m. the day before your scheduled collection, keeping them clear of your WM carts.
Accepted
- ✓ Furniture
- ✓ Mattresses
- ✓ Large household furnishings
- ✓ Appliances (Freon must be professionally removed with a certification sticker attached)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Tires
- ✕ Televisions and electronics
- ✕ Construction and demolition debris
- ✕ Dirt, sod, concrete, or rock
- ✕ Hazardous waste
Bulk collection is included in the town refuse program. Excess bulk generated by large clean-outs requires renting a private dumpster or utilizing the Bagster program.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
When an observed holiday falls on a weekday, all Waste Management collections for that day and the remainder of the week will be delayed by one day.
Yard Waste Exception
Highway Department yard waste collections operate on a continuous, weather-dependent basis and are generally paused during severe winter weather or town holidays.
If a major holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, there are no delays to the weekday collection schedule.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Keep Recyclables Loose
Never place your recyclables inside plastic grocery bags. Plastic bags tangle around the mechanical sorting screens at the Waste Management recovery facility. Keep everything loose in your red-lidded cart.
Keep Food Waste Inside the Cart
If you purchase an Extra Capacity Sticker for an overflow garbage bag, the town strictly requires that bag to contain only non-food waste to prevent attracting vermin. All putrescible food waste must go inside the hard plastic cart.
No Tires at the Curb
Tires are not accepted during the monthly bulk collection week. New York State law heavily regulates waste tires, and they must be taken to a licensed tire retailer or an Erie County recycling event.
Seasonal Information
Spring / Summer
April - SeptemberThe Town Highway Department operates its hi-lift machinery almost daily to scoop up loose yard waste. Ensure your loose grass clippings and brush piles do not block the roadway or obstruct storm drains during heavy spring rains.
Fall
October - DecemberDuring peak leaf collection season, leaves must be piled in a long row at the curbside, not in the street. Remember, Lancaster strictly prohibits the use of bags for autumn leaves.
Winter
December - MarchDuring severe Erie County lake-effect snowstorms, garbage collection may be delayed. Ensure your black and red-lidded carts are placed in a shoveled-out area, not balanced on top of snowbanks or hidden behind plows.
About Lancaster Waste Management
Lancaster's Cart-Based Automated Collection
The Town of Lancaster operates an efficient automated cart-based sanitation program in partnership with Waste Management (WM). Every single-family home is provided with one black-lidded cart for weekly refuse and one red-lidded cart for bi-weekly recycling. To ensure the automated mechanical arms can safely grab the containers, all carts must be placed at least three feet apart from each other and away from mailboxes, trees, or parked cars, with the handles facing your house.
A Strict 'No-Bag' Policy for Yard Debris
Unlike most municipalities that require biodegradable paper bags for organic waste, the Town of Lancaster Highway Department strictly mandates the exact opposite. Grass clippings, leaves, and brush must be placed at the curb completely unbagged. If you place yard debris into plastic bags, paper sacks, cans, or any other type of container, town crews will leave it behind. The Highway Department utilizes hi-lift equipment to scoop up loose yard waste on a nearly daily basis, weather permitting.
Managing Overflow: Extra Capacity Stickers
Because all household trash must fit inside your designated WM cart with the lid completely closed, managing occasional overflow requires planning. If you have extra non-food garbage, you cannot simply drop loose bags on the curb. Residents must visit Town Hall to purchase an 'Extra Capacity Sticker' for $5.00. This sticker allows you to place one additional bag of non-vermin-attracting waste (weighing 40 pounds or less) next to your cart on your normal collection day.
Second-Week Bulk Trash Collections
Large items that cannot fit into your refuse cart, such as furniture and non-Freon appliances, are not collected every week. Lancaster restricts bulk pickups to the second full week of every month. During this designated week, each household is permitted to place a maximum of three bulk items out alongside their regular trash cart. It is the homeowner's responsibility to safely decommission items, which includes removing all doors from refrigerators and freezers.
Partnering with Erie County for Hazardous Waste
Liquid latex paint, pool chemicals, lithium-ion batteries, and motor oil pose severe fire risks to WM collection trucks and are strictly prohibited from curbside disposal. Lancaster residents are encouraged to utilize Erie County's seasonal Household Hazardous Waste drop-off events, or take advantage of the county's voucher program that allows residents to drop off up to 50 pounds of acceptable toxic materials at the Hazman facility in Tonawanda.
Drop-off Facilities
Hazman Household Hazardous Waste Drop-Off
177 Wales Ave, Tonawanda, NY 14150
Materials Accepted
Sunnking Electronics Recycling
Various drop-off locations (Visit sunnking.com/dropoff)
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I put my grass clippings and leaves in paper yard bags?
No. The Town of Lancaster has a highly unique yard waste policy that prohibits all bags and containers. Grass clippings, leaves, and brush must be left completely loose at the curb. The Highway Department uses specialized hi-lift equipment to scoop up the unbagged organic debris.
What should I do if my trash cart is full and I have extra garbage?
If you have occasional overflow that won't fit inside your cart with the lid closed, you must purchase an 'Extra Capacity Sticker' from the Town Clerk for $5.00. This sticker allows you to place one extra bag (up to 40 lbs) of non-food waste next to your cart.
When can I throw away an old couch or mattress?
Bulk waste is not collected every week. You can place up to three (3) large bulk items out at the curb on your regular collection day ONLY during the second full week of each month.
Why didn't Waste Management pick up my recycling cart?
Recycling in Lancaster is collected every other week, not weekly. If you placed it out on the correct 'Green' or 'Gold' week, ensure the lid was completely closed, it was placed 3 feet away from your trash cart, and the handles were facing your house.