Personal containers Bin (Trash)
Trash must be placed in a standard metal or plastic container with handles and a non-attached lid (maximum 36 gallons), or in sealed, heavy-duty black plastic bags. No single container or bag may exceed 50 pounds. Items must be curbside by 7:30 a.m. on collection day.
Accepted Items
- ✓Standard household food waste
- ✓Soiled or waxed paper products
- ✓Plastic toys and utensils
- ✓Discarded clothing
Blue Bin (Plastics/Glass/Metal) / Green Bin (Paper) Bin (Recycling)
Glass/metal/plastic must be in a blue Village bin, a personal container marked with an RVC recycling sticker, or a clear plastic bag. Paper must be in a green bin, paper bag, or clear plastic bag. Remove all Styrofoam from cardboard boxes.
Accepted Items
- ✓Newspapers, mail, and flattened cardboard (Wednesdays)
- ✓Plastics stamped #1 or #2 only (Trash Day)
- ✓Glass bottles and jars (Trash Day)
- ✓Aluminum and tin cans (Trash Day)
Do NOT Include
- ✕Pizza boxes
- ✕Plastics #3 through #7
- ✕Styrofoam (egg cartons or packaging)
- ✕Plastic toys or tableware
- ✕Paper towels and facial tissue
- ✕Adhesive tape and rubber bands
Yard Waste Bin
Must be tied into manageable bundles no longer than 4 feet in length and weighing no more than 50 pounds. Bundled wood is collected as part of the Wednesday bulk pickup program and must be scheduled in advance.
Accepted Items
- ✓Branches
- ✓Wood debris
- ✓Small limbs
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Weekly on Wednesdays (Metals on Thursdays) by appointment
Placement
Place items on the curb strip (not in the roadway) between the evening before and 7:30 a.m. on the day of your scheduled collection. Mattresses left unsealed in plastic will be rejected.
Accepted
- ✓ Couches, tables, and wooden furniture
- ✓ Mattresses (must be sealed in plastic bedbug-proof bags)
- ✓ Refrigerators (doors removed)
- ✓ Washers, dryers, and stoves
- ✓ Bundled branches (max 4 feet, 50 lbs)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Contractor and construction debris
- ✕ Broken concrete
- ✕ Propane tanks and explosives
- ✕ Hazardous liquids and paints
- ✕ Unlabeled materials
The Village does not charge an extra fee for standard bulk appointments, but it will not clear out contractor-generated waste or construction materials. Such debris must be hauled away privately.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
When a holiday falls on a Monday, regular garbage routes are delayed. To compensate, DPW crews cover the disrupted trash routes on Wednesday instead of picking up recycling.
Yard Waste Exception
Because Wednesday resources are diverted to catch up on garbage, there are absolutely no bulk, wood, or paper collections during weeks featuring a Monday holiday.
Hold your paper, cardboard, and bulk items until the following week's scheduled Wednesday. Glass, metal, and plastic will still be collected on your revised regular trash day.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Pizza Boxes Are Strict Trash
Unlike some neighboring towns, Rockville Centre does not accept pizza boxes in the Wednesday paper recycling stream under any circumstances. Even if they look clean, the grease and food residue ruin the paper pulping process, so throw them in the regular garbage.
Remove Styrofoam Before Flattening
When breaking down corrugated cardboard boxes from recent shipments, you must completely empty them of all Styrofoam blocks and packing peanuts. Styrofoam is strictly excluded from RVC recycling.
Check Your Plastic Numbers
The Village only accepts plastics prominently stamped with a #1 or #2 recycling symbol (typically beverage bottles and milk jugs). Toss all other plastics, including yogurt tubs, clamshells, and plastic utensils, into your standard trash.
Seasonal Information
Spring/Summer
April to NovemberThe local DPW Transfer Station officially opens for the season to help with heavy spring cleanouts and summer projects. It is accessible to residents on the first and third Saturday of the month from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Fall
NovemberThe week of Thanksgiving is the only holiday week where paper and cardboard recycling is NOT canceled. Paper is specially collected on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving to handle holiday packaging.
Winter
December to MarchThe Saturday resident transfer station is closed for the winter season. All bulk disposal must be handled via the pre-scheduled Wednesday and Thursday curbside collection program.
About Rockville Centre Waste Management
Mandatory Dual-Stream Recycling Separation
Rockville Centre completely bypasses single-stream recycling to ensure higher material purity. Instead, the DPW requires residents to follow a strict dual-stream process. Paper and flattened cardboard are exclusively collected village-wide every Wednesday. Meanwhile, rinsed glass, metal cans, and #1/#2 plastics are picked up alongside your regular garbage on your specific neighborhood's designated trash day.
Complete Suspension of Paper Recycling During Holiday Weeks
A highly unique feature of Rockville Centre's sanitation program is its holiday routing policy. Whenever a holiday disrupts the regular Monday/Tuesday garbage schedule, the DPW must redirect its crews to catch up on household refuse. As a result, all Wednesday cardboard and paper recycling routes are completely canceled during holiday weeks (with the exception of the Wednesday before Thanksgiving). Residents must hold their paper recyclables until the following week.
Mid-Week Bulk and Thursday Metal Collections
The Village offers highly organized, pre-scheduled bulk pickups separated by material type. Standard bulk waste—such as wooden furniture, rugs, and bundled branches—is collected by appointment on Wednesdays. However, large metal items, including refrigerators, washers, and stoves, have their own dedicated collection day on Thursdays. Residents must call the DPW or email [email protected] by noon on Tuesday to secure a spot for either service.
Monthly E-Waste Drop-Off at the DPW
Rather than allowing electronics at the curb where they can break or leak toxins, Rockville Centre hosts a dedicated E-Cycling drop-off event on the first Saturday of every single month. Residents can bring televisions, computers, gaming consoles, and other small appliances to the DPW headquarters at 10 Sunrise Highway between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. for safe and free disposal.
Seasonal Access to the Resident Transfer Station
For homeowners undertaking large weekend cleanouts, the Village operates a seasonal transfer station drop-off. Available exclusively on the first and third Saturday of the month from April through November, the transfer station is open from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. This allows residents to dispose of excess bulk items without having to wait for their scheduled mid-week curbside collection.
Drop-off Facilities
Rockville Centre DPW Facility
10 Sunrise Highway, Rockville Centre, NY 11570
Materials Accepted
Town of Hempstead S.T.O.P. Program
Various mobile collection sites across the Town of Hempstead
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get rid of an old mattress in Rockville Centre?
Mattresses are collected during the Wednesday bulk pickup. However, Nassau County health regulations dictate that all mattresses and box springs must be completely sealed in heavy-duty plastic, bedbug-proof encasement bags before being placed at the curb. You must also schedule the pickup by noon on Tuesday.
Why didn't the DPW take my paper recycling on Wednesday?
If there was a recognized holiday earlier in the week (like Labor Day or Memorial Day), the Village completely suspends Wednesday paper recycling. The trucks are used to catch up on regular garbage routes instead. You must hold your paper and cardboard until the following Wednesday.
Can I put all my recyclables into the same bin?
No. Rockville Centre does not use single-stream recycling. You must separate your paper and cardboard (collected on Wednesdays) from your #1/#2 plastics, glass, and metal cans (collected alongside your standard trash). Mixing them will lead to rejection.
Where can I drop off an old television or computer?
The Village does not pick up electronics at the curb. You must bring all E-Waste, including TVs, computers, monitors, and gaming consoles, to the DPW facility at 10 Sunrise Highway. Drop-offs are only accepted on the first Saturday of every month from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.