Varies (City-issued 35, 64, or 96-gallon cart) Bin (Trash)
All trash must fit inside the cart with the lid completely closed. Place at the streetline 3 to 5 feet from obstacles by 7:00 a.m. on collection day, with the cart's hinges facing your house.
Accepted Items
- ✓Standard household garbage
- ✓Non-recyclable plastics
- ✓Food wrappers
- ✓Styrofoam
Varies (City-issued cart) Bin (Recycling)
Lockport uses single-stream recycling; do not bag your items. Place them loose in the cart. However, if you have extra recycling capacity needs, you may neatly stack cardboard or place excess recyclables in clear plastic bags next to the cart for free.
Accepted Items
- ✓Cardboard and pizza boxes (grease-free)
- ✓Office paper, newspaper, and junk mail
- ✓Plastic jugs and bottles
- ✓Aluminum and steel cans
- ✓Glass bottles and jars
- ✓Milk and juice cartons
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic bags and film
- ✕Styrofoam packaging
- ✕Electronics and batteries
- ✕Medical waste and syringes
- ✕Light bulbs and ceramics
Yard Waste Bin
Placed in open containers or paper compostable bags (max 50 lbs, 35 lbs preferred). No grass clippings. Collected only during specific scheduled weeks announced by the city. Must be out by 7:00 a.m. on your normal trash day.
Accepted Items
- ✓Prunings and brush
- ✓Hedge trimmings
- ✓Thatch from raking
- ✓Leaves and mulch
- ✓Old flower and vegetable plants
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
First full week of each month
Placement
Place the bulk item at the curb by 7:00 a.m. alongside your normal garbage cart. Do not place items out earlier than the weekend prior to bulk week.
Accepted
- ✓ Discarded appliances (refrigerators must have Freon removed)
- ✓ Small household furniture
- ✓ Bedding and mattresses
- ✓ Carpeting (max 3 rolls, each no larger than 4 feet long and 18 inches wide)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Construction and demolition debris
- ✕ Hazardous waste and wet paint
- ✕ Electronics and TVs
- ✕ Yard waste and tires
The first item is included in your PAYT annual fee. If you need to dispose of more items, Extra Bulk Capacity Tags are available for $10 each at the City Clerk's office, with a strict maximum limit of three total bulk items per household.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
If a recognized holiday falls on or before your normal collection day, refuse and recycling pickup is delayed by one day for the remainder of that week. Friday collections will shift to Saturday.
Yard Waste Exception
Yard waste is only collected on specific designated weeks during the year, so it is rarely impacted by weekly holiday schedule shifts.
Modern Corporation provides an annual collection calendar PDF on the City of Lockport website detailing exact holiday shifts.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Never Bag Recyclables in Opaque Bags
While Lockport allows overflow recyclables to be placed in clear plastic bags next to the cart, placing items in black or opaque trash bags inside your cart will result in rejection. Opaque bags tangle in the sorting machinery at Modern's facility and conceal potential contaminants.
Drain Rainwater from Yard Containers
If you use solid-bottomed trash cans instead of compostable paper bags for your seasonal yard waste, you must ensure they are properly drained before placing them at the street. Rain-soaked organic material quickly exceeds the 50-pound weight limit and will not be lifted by city crews.
Keep Pizza Boxes Grease-Free
Clean, dry cardboard pizza boxes are fully acceptable in Lockport's recycling stream. However, you must tear off and throw in the regular trash any portion of the box heavily soiled with grease, cheese, or food residue, as it ruins the paper pulping process.
Seasonal Information
Winter
December to MarchLake-effect snows in Niagara County demand careful bin placement. Keep your refuse and recycling carts at least 3 to 5 feet away from the streetline and fire hydrants to prevent city snowplows from burying or knocking them over.
Spring
April to MayThe City of Lockport does not offer a municipal spring leaf pickup program. You must either compost your winter yard debris on your own property or hold it for the specific, scheduled yard waste collection weeks published annually by the Highways and Parks Department.
Fall
September to NovemberWhen putting out brush during the fall yard waste collection weeks, remember that large branches must be kept in a completely separate pile from bagged leaves so they can be processed safely by the city's chipper truck.
About Lockport Waste Management
Navigating Lockport's Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT) Tote System
The City of Lockport utilizes a variable-rate, Pay-As-You-Throw solid waste program designed to incentivize recycling and put property owners in control of their annual refuse costs. Rather than paying a flat, one-size-fits-all tax, residents select their desired level of service by choosing a 35, 64, or 96-gallon garbage cart. The city bills a flat yearly user fee based exclusively on the size and number of totes requested, rewarding households that generate less waste with lower annual expenses.
The Monthly One-Item Bulk Waste Allowance
Lockport operates on a highly specific bulk waste collection schedule. Heavy, oversized items that do not fit inside your city-issued tote are only collected during the first full week of every month. Residents are permitted to place exactly one large item—such as a piece of furniture, a rolled carpet, or an appliance—at the curb on their normal collection day during that designated week. If you are cleaning out a home and need to discard more than one item, you must plan ahead and purchase an Extra Bulk Capacity Tag from the City Clerk.
Strict Rules Against Curbside Grass Clippings
Unlike many municipalities in Western New York, the City of Lockport's Highways and Parks Department has placed a total ban on the curbside collection of grass clippings. Even during the scheduled yard waste pickup weeks, any bags or open containers found containing grass will be left at the curb. The city strongly encourages 'grasscycling'—leaving the clippings on your lawn to return nutrients to the soil—or utilizing a backyard compost bin.
Outwater Park Electronic Waste Drop-Offs
In strict accordance with New York State environmental laws, Modern Corporation trucks are legally prohibited from collecting e-waste at the curb. To prevent toxic heavy metals from contaminating local landfills, the City of Lockport hosts recurring electronic recycling drop-off events. On the first and third Saturday of every month, residents can safely dispose of old televisions, computer monitors, and gaming consoles at the Outwater Park parking lot between 9:00 a.m. and noon.
Managing Overflow with Extra Capacity Tags
During the holidays or after a large family gathering, you might find that your garbage cart is overflowing. In Lockport, you cannot simply toss loose bags next to your bin. To ensure pickup, you must purchase $2 Extra Capacity Tags directly from the City Clerk's office. Each tag authorizes the collection of one additional standard trash bag weighing no more than 30 pounds.
Drop-off Facilities
Heinrich Services C&D Transfer Station
178 Oakhurst St, Lockport, NY 14094
Materials Accepted
Outwater Park E-Waste Drop-Off (City Parking Lot)
Outwater Drive at Outwater Park, Lockport, NY 14094
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I throw away extra garbage in Lockport if my cart is full?
Because Lockport utilizes a Pay-As-You-Throw model, you cannot leave free, unbagged trash next to your cart. You must purchase $2 Extra Capacity Tags from the City Clerk's office. Adhere one tag to each extra bag (weighing 30 pounds or less) to ensure pickup.
Does the City of Lockport collect grass clippings?
No. The City of Lockport expressly forbids grass clippings from its curbside yard waste program. You must leave the clippings on your lawn (a practice known as grasscycling), compost them on your own property, or hire a private landscaping firm for removal.
When is bulk trash pickup in Lockport, NY?
Bulk waste collection in Lockport occurs exclusively during the first full week of every month. You are allowed to place one large item, such as a mattress, sofa, or appliance, at the curb on your normal collection day during that week at no extra charge.
How do I upgrade to a larger trash cart?
You can change your desired level of service and upgrade to a larger 64 or 96-gallon refuse cart by contacting the City Clerk's office at 716-439-6676. Your annual solid waste user fee will increase accordingly based on the cart size you select.