Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Riverhead
New York municipal refuse is collected weekly on designated neighborhood days. Recycling is often collected on specific days depending on the borough or county.
State Mandate
Strictly separate e-waste. Electronics are banned from regular trash.
Any standard durable can or tied bag Bin (Trash)
Must be placed curbside securely. Do not exceed weight limits, and ensure all wet garbage is properly bagged.
Accepted Items
- ✓Standard household solid waste
- ✓Dried out latex or water-based paint
- ✓Non-recyclable plastics
- ✓Food waste
Labeled recycle pail Bin (Recycling)
Collected every Wednesday on an alternating basis (co-mingled one week, paper/cardboard the next). Must be clean, dry, and never bagged in plastic.
Accepted Items
- ✓Co-mingled: tin/aluminum cans, glass jars/bottles
- ✓Plastics stamped with #1, #2, or #5
- ✓Empty aerosol cans with caps removed
- ✓Newspaper, magazines, and mail
- ✓Clean, bundled cardboard packed in paper bags or an intact box
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic bags of any kind
- ✕Styrofoam
- ✕Hoses, wires, and hangers
- ✕Light bulbs, ceramics, and broken glass
- ✕Greasy pizza boxes
Yard Waste Bin
Never place yard waste in plastic bags. Use biodegradable paper bags or unlidded containers. Alternatively, residents can bring it to the Youngs Avenue Yard Waste Facility.
Accepted Items
- ✓Leaves
- ✓Brush and twigs
- ✓Yard clippings
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Weekly on your last scheduled pickup day of the week.
Placement
Place bulk items safely at the curb on your final garbage day of the week. Fluids must be drained from all appliances.
Accepted
- ✓ Appliances (fluids drained)
- ✓ Scrap metal
- ✓ Furniture and mattresses
- ✓ Air conditioners
- ✓ Rugs and carpeting (cut to 4-foot rolls, max 50 lbs)
Not Accepted
- ✕ E-waste (TVs, computers, stereos)
- ✕ Household hazardous waste
- ✕ Contractor-generated construction debris
- ✕ Propane tanks
Collection of up to six bulk items per week is included in your solid waste district taxes without additional curbside fees.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
On the day of a designated holiday, all sanitation service is canceled for that specific route. The remainder of the week's routes will continue on their normal schedule without shifting.
Yard Waste Exception
The Youngs Avenue Yard Waste Facility is closed on all observed town holidays.
Unlike towns that push pickup schedules back a day, Riverhead simply skips the holiday collection entirely and resumes on your next scheduled day.
Observed Holidays
Seasonal Information
Spring/Fall
May & OctoberThe Town hosts its S.T.O.P. (Stop Throwing Out Pollutants) Program at the Highway Department Yard on Osborn Avenue in May and October for the safe disposal of household hazardous waste.
Year-Round
January - DecemberThe Yard Waste Facility on Youngs Avenue is open five days a week (Thursday through Monday) from 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Note that it is closed on extreme inclement weather days and major holidays.
Winter
December - MarchIf a severe snowstorm or observed holiday forces a cancellation on your regular collection day, service is simply skipped and resumes on your next normally scheduled pickup day.
Local Tips & Community Info
Riverhead Refuse and Garbage Sub-Districts
For those residing within the Town of Riverhead Refuse and Garbage District, residential trash pickup is efficiently managed through a contracted private collector. To streamline operations across the expansive Long Island municipality, the town is divided into six distinct sub-districts, labeled A through F. Depending on which sub-district your home falls into, your household will receive two designated garbage days each week. You are allowed to set out up to four securely tied bags or standard trash containers on both of your scheduled collection mornings to keep your property clean.
Wednesday Alternating Recycling Program
Environmental sustainability is taken seriously in our community. Regardless of your specific sub-district, all residents share the exact same recycling day: every Wednesday. The town utilizes an alternating weekly schedule, meaning you will put out co-mingled materials like clean plastics, tin, and glass bottles one week, and paper or cardboard the next. It is absolutely crucial to keep these items completely loose in your designated recycling pails. Placing recyclables inside plastic grocery bags will contaminate the load and result in your bin being left unemptied by the sanitation crews.
Yard Waste Management and Youngs Avenue Facility
Maintaining your property throughout the changing seasons produces a fair amount of organic debris. During specific designated weeks highlighted on the annual town calendar, you can leave unlimited bundled branches and paper bags of leaves at the curb on your second garbage day of the week. For year-round disposal, homeowners have the option to transport their leaves and yard clippings directly to the Yard Waste Facility located on Youngs Avenue in Calverton, which operates five days a week and requires a valid proof of residency at the entrance gate.
Disposing of Heavy Bulk and Six-Item Limit
Clearing out a basement or replacing old furniture is made easier with Riverhead’s generous bulk waste policies. On your final scheduled refuse pickup day of the week, you are permitted to leave up to six bulk items at the curb. This convenience includes major appliances, rolled rugs under four feet, scrap metal, and heavy furniture. However, sanitation crews enforce strict safety rules regarding certain items; for instance, any discarded mattresses or box springs must be fully encased within a sealed plastic bag before they can be legally collected.
The S.T.O.P. Program for Hazardous Materials
Chemicals and toxic substances should never be thrown into your standard weekly trash because they pose a severe threat to local aquifers. To protect the environment, the town hosts a Stop Throwing Out Pollutants (S.T.O.P.) event twice a year, typically occurring in May and October. These specialized drop-off days take place at the Highway Department yard situated on Osborne Avenue. It offers residents a completely free, safe, and legal way to shed hazardous household waste like paint thinners, old pesticides, and broken electronic equipment.
Important Bin Placement and Food Scrap Options
Because sanitation trucks start their neighborhood routes very early, all trash containers and recycling pails must be positioned curbside by 6:00 AM on your assigned mornings. Ensure all garbage is placed in tight-fitting bins to prevent local wildlife from creating an unsightly mess on your street. Additionally, Riverhead recently introduced a dedicated Food Scrap Drop-off Program, allowing eco-conscious households to divert their everyday kitchen scraps away from the regional landfill and into highly sustainable municipal composting streams.
Drop-off Facilities
Riverhead Yard Waste Facility & E-Waste Drop-Off
Youngs Avenue, Riverhead, NY 11901
Materials Accepted
Riverhead Highway Department Yard (S.T.O.P. Events Only)
1177 Osborn Avenue, Riverhead, NY 11901
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
How many bulk items can I throw away each week in Riverhead?
You are permitted to place a maximum of six bulk items at the curb. These must be set out on the second (last) scheduled garbage day of your week, and items like mattresses must be wrapped in plastic.
What is the recycling schedule for the town?
Recycling is collected town-wide every Wednesday. The schedule alternates every other week between co-mingled containers, such as plastics, glass, and metal, and paper or cardboard products.
Where can I get rid of toxic chemicals and old paint?
Hazardous household waste must be brought to the Highway Department yard on Osborne Avenue during the biannual S.T.O.P. events, which are normally scheduled during May and October.