Any standard can with a secure top Bin (Trash)
Cans or securely tied bags must not weigh more than 75 pounds each. Garbage bags that have holes or are leaking liquids must be double-bagged to prevent leakage onto sidewalks.
Accepted Items
- ✓Standard household solid waste
- ✓Food waste
- ✓Non-recyclable plastics
Red five-gallon plastic container (embossed with logo) Bin (Recycling)
All containers must be rinsed clean of food and chemical residue. Do not bind paper with wire or place it in plastic bags. Ensure your street address is permanently affixed to your red recycling container.
Accepted Items
- ✓Plastics #1 (PET) and #2 (HDPE) only
- ✓Clear, amber, and green glass bottles and jars
- ✓Aluminum, tin, and bi-metal cans
- ✓Newspapers, magazines, and mail (tied or in brown bags)
- ✓Corrugated cardboard (broken down and tied)
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic bags
- ✕Styrofoam
- ✕Ceramics and porcelains
- ✕Mirrors and plate glass
- ✕Bottle caps and lids
Yard Waste Bin
Logs and branches must be bundled approximately 2' x 2' x 4' and placed at the curb. Never rake leaves directly into the street, as this clogs municipal storm drains.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings
- ✓Leaves
- ✓Tree stumps, logs, and branches
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
By appointment only (Thursdays for East of Edwards Blvd, Fridays for West of Edwards Blvd).
Placement
Residents are limited to a maximum of four (4) bulk items per location per scheduled pick-up day. Do not place items at the curb until your appointment is officially confirmed.
Accepted
- ✓ Washing machines and dryers
- ✓ Air conditioners
- ✓ Bulky ferrous metal products
- ✓ Automobile parts (drained of all fluids)
- ✓ Metal pipes (cut to 4 feet maximum)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Drywall, lumber, and fencing
- ✕ Contractor-generated construction debris
- ✕ Propane tanks and gas cylinders
- ✕ Hazardous household chemicals
- ✕ Paint cans
Standard municipal bulk metal collection is provided without a direct fee. However, if you are conducting extensive home renovations, you must rent a private dumpster at your own expense for the construction debris.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
When a designated holiday falls on your standard collection day, municipal pick-up is generally suspended. Collections are typically pushed back to your next normally scheduled day.
Yard Waste Exception
Yard waste and bulk metal collections are frequently skipped entirely during holiday weeks to prioritize standard household garbage routes.
Always refer to the official City of Long Beach calendar or call the Sanitation Department at (516) 431-1000 for exact make-up day schedules.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Remove All Caps and Lids
When recycling plastic bottles or glass jars in your red five-gallon bin, you must completely remove and throw away all plastic or metal caps and lids in the regular trash. The recycling facility only processes the empty base containers.
Bundle Newspaper Properly
Never throw loose newspapers directly into your recycling bin or secure them with wire. Long Beach regulations require newspapers and magazines to be placed inside brown paper bags or tied securely with twine in bundles no thicker than one foot.
Double-Bag Leaking Trash
If your regular household garbage bags contain wet food waste or have rips, city ordinance mandates that you must double-bag them before placing them at the curb to prevent foul-smelling leaks and pest attraction on municipal sidewalks.
Seasonal Information
Summer
May - OctoberThe Sanitation Department implements an extended 'Dinner Schedule' along commercial corridors like Park Avenue and Beech Street. This provides businesses with two additional late-day collections to manage the high volume of tourist waste.
Fall
October - NovemberDuring peak autumn foliage, residents must securely bag all leaves and grass clippings. Raking loose leaves into the street is a violation, as it severely disrupts the city's stormwater management system during coastal rainstorms.
Winter
JanuaryFollowing the winter holidays, the city runs dedicated collection routes for Christmas trees and wreaths. All ornaments, lights, and tinsel must be entirely removed before placing the bare tree at the curb.
About Long Beach Waste Management
The Edwards Boulevard Dividing Line for Garbage Collection
The City of Long Beach Sanitation Department geographically divides its residential trash routes using Edwards Boulevard as the main border. If your home is located east of Edwards Boulevard, your designated curbside garbage days are Mondays and Thursdays. Conversely, if you reside west of this main thoroughfare, your household refuse will be collected on Tuesdays and Fridays. All standard household trash must be securely bagged or placed in durable cans to prevent beachside litter.
Mandatory Commercial Summer Dinner Schedule
Long Beach operates a highly unique commercial sanitation program during its peak tourism months. From May through October, the Sanitation Department deploys an additional 'Dinner Schedule' along Park Avenue and Beech Street. This initiative features two extra daily garbage runs for the commercial sector—one in the late afternoon and another from 8:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.—ensuring the 'City by the Sea' maintains its cleanliness despite the massive influx of summer visitors.
Appliance and Bulk Metal Appointments
Disposing of large metal items—such as washing machines, dryers, air conditioners, or miscellaneous bulky ferrous materials—requires a proactively scheduled appointment with the Sanitation Department. The city dedicates specific days for bulk metal retrieval based on your location: Thursdays are reserved exclusively for residents east of Edwards Boulevard, while Fridays are designated for homeowners on the west side. Note that standard construction debris like drywall and lumber is strictly prohibited from municipal bulk collection.
The Five-Gallon Red Recycling Bin Mandate
To standardize curbside collection, the City of Long Beach explicitly requires all residents living in one- and two-family structures to utilize red, five-gallon plastic containers embossed with the universal recycling logo. If your weekly recyclables exceed the capacity of these specific red bins, the excess materials must be placed in separate designated containers directly alongside them. Plastic bags are completely banned from the recycling stream.
S.T.O.P. Programs and E-Waste Disposal
Electronic waste and hazardous household materials—including wet paint, varnishes, heavy cleaning chemicals, and pesticides—cannot be thrown into your regular Long Beach trash. Instead, city residents are authorized to utilize the neighboring Town of Hempstead's S.T.O.P. (Stop Throwing Out Pollutants) program events. For immediate disposal, residents can drive these hazardous materials directly to the Homeowner Disposal Area located on Merrick Road.
Drop-off Facilities
Town of Hempstead Homeowner Disposal Area
1600 Merrick Road, Merrick, NY 11566
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
What days is household garbage collected in Long Beach, NY?
Your garbage collection schedule depends on your location relative to Edwards Boulevard. If you live east of Edwards Boulevard, your trash is picked up on Mondays and Thursdays. If your home is west of Edwards Boulevard, your designated collection days are Tuesdays and Fridays.
Does the City of Long Beach pick up bulk items and appliances?
Yes, but the municipal service specifically caters to bulk metal items, such as washing machines, dryers, and air conditioners. You must schedule an appointment beforehand. Metal pickups occur on Thursdays for homes east of Edwards Blvd, and Fridays for homes west of Edwards Blvd. The city will not pick up construction debris like drywall or lumber.
How should I properly prepare my recycling?
Residents must use the city-mandated red five-gallon plastic bins. Glass and plastic containers must be thoroughly rinsed with all caps and lids discarded in the trash. Newspapers and cardboard cannot be placed loosely in the bin; they must be tied securely with twine or placed inside brown paper bags.
Where can I dispose of old paint and hazardous chemicals?
The Long Beach Sanitation Department does not collect hazardous waste at the curb. Residents must safely transport these items to the Town of Hempstead's Homeowner Disposal Area at 1600 Merrick Road in Merrick, or wait for a local S.T.O.P. (Stop Throwing Out Pollutants) drop-off event.