Green Town Garbage Bags (Self-Haul) or Private Carter Cans Bin (Trash)
Self-haulers must purchase and use the official Green Bags. Trash must be brought to a town transfer station unless a private carter is hired for curbside pickup.
Accepted Items
- ✓Normal household garbage
- ✓Non-recyclable plastics
- ✓Styrofoam blocks
- ✓Empty and dried latex paint cans
Separated bins/trailers at Transfer Station Bin (Recycling)
Self-haulers must source-separate recyclables into the designated trailers at the transfer station. There is no cost to drop off recyclables. Do not place recyclables in the green bags.
Accepted Items
- ✓Corrugated cardboard
- ✓Mixed paper and newspaper
- ✓Aluminum and tin cans
- ✓Clear, green, and brown glass bottles
- ✓Plastics #1 and #2 only
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastics #3 through #7
- ✕Thin film plastics and shopping bags
- ✕Styrofoam peanuts
- ✕Dirty paper products or pizza boxes
Yard Waste Bin
Loose leaves are free year-round. Brush is fee-based outside of amnesty periods. Fireplace ashes are strictly prohibited from mixing with leaves or green bags.
Accepted Items
- ✓Leaves
- ✓Brush and tree branches (under 3 inches in diameter)
- ✓Organic yard debris
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Self-Haul Drop Off (Any open operating day)
Placement
Drive your bulk waste to the Hampton Bays or North Sea Transfer Stations. Ensure you arrive before the scale house closes at 3:30 p.m. daily.
Accepted
- ✓ Furniture and mattresses
- ✓ Large appliances (white goods)
- ✓ Electronics (E-Waste)
- ✓ Scrap metal
- ✓ Construction and demolition debris (North Sea only)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Hazardous waste (must wait for S.T.O.P. days)
- ✕ Commercial demolition volumes without proper permits
- ✕ Explosives or medical waste
Disposing of bulk items, electronics, tires, and construction debris requires payment. Rates are calculated based on weight and item type at the scale house (refer to the official Waste Management Fee Schedule).
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
The town's four transfer stations close on designated major holidays. If a holiday falls on a day the transfer station is normally open, you must hold your waste until the facility reopens.
Yard Waste Exception
Fee-based disposal scales and yard waste areas close 30 minutes early (3:30 p.m.) on all operating days, including the dates immediately preceding major holidays.
Holiday closures specifically apply to the town's self-haul transfer stations. If you hire a private carter for curbside collection, you must contact them directly for their specific holiday routing schedules.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Dry Out Your Latex Paint
Latex and water-based paints can be safely disposed of in your Green Bags, but only if they are completely dried out first. Leave the paint can lid off in a well-ventilated area until the paint turns solid before bagging it.
Check Your Plastic Resin Codes
Unlike some municipalities that accept all plastics, the Town of Southampton only accepts plastics labeled #1 and #2 for recycling. Plastics #3 through #7, including most yogurt tubs and clamshell takeout containers, are not recyclable at town facilities and must go in your trash.
Keep Ash Out of Yard Waste
Never mix fireplace or fire pit ashes into your green bags or yard waste brush piles. Hot embers can smolder for days and frequently reignite, causing dangerous fires at the municipal transfer stations.
Seasonal Information
Spring
April - MayThe town offers its first brush amnesty period, usually from mid-April to the end of May, allowing residential self-haulers to drop off brush and branches under 3 inches in diameter without paying the standard vehicle fee.
Summer
June - AugustTransfer stations remain fully operational during the busy summer tourist season. Residents should plan their self-haul trips early in the day (between 8:30 a.m. and noon) to avoid severe traffic backups at the North Sea and Hampton Bays centers.
Autumn
November - DecemberThe second brush amnesty period runs from mid-November through December. This is also the peak time to drop off loose leaves at the transfer station composting areas, which are accepted for free year-round.
About Southampton Waste Management
Understanding the Self-Haul & Pay-Per-Bag Program
The Town of Southampton is unique in that it does not provide municipal curbside garbage pickup for its residents. Instead, the town operates a self-haul 'pay-per-bag' program. Residents are responsible for bringing their household garbage and separated recyclables directly to one of the four town-operated transfer stations. Alternatively, homeowners who prefer curbside service must independently hire private, town-licensed collection service companies to manage their waste.
Mandatory Green Town Garbage Bags
For residents participating in the self-haul program, all non-recyclable household trash must be placed exclusively inside official 'Green Town Garbage Bags.' These specific green bags have the municipal disposal fee built directly into their purchase price, functioning as a localized pay-as-you-throw tax. They are available in both large and small sizes at various local hardware stores, supermarkets, and convenience stores like King Kullen, Stop & Shop, and True Value across the township.
Navigating the Four Transfer Stations
The town operates four primary waste facilities: North Sea, Hampton Bays, Sag Harbor, and Westhampton. While the North Sea and Hampton Bays stations are open seven days a week to accommodate heavy volume, both the Sag Harbor and Westhampton facilities are strictly closed on Wednesdays. A critical logistical note for all locations is that while the general facility closes at 4:00 p.m., the yard waste drop-off areas and fee-based disposal scales close promptly at 3:30 p.m.
Yard Waste Amnesty and Free Compost
Southampton highly encourages sustainable yard practices by offering free loose leaf drop-offs for residential self-haulers year-round. Brush drop-off typically requires a small fee based on vehicle size, but the town provides two designated 'amnesty' periods annually—in the spring and late fall—where brush is accepted entirely for free. In return for this organic material, the town processes the debris and offers commercial-grade, unscreened compost and mulch back to residents at no cost.
The S.T.O.P. Hazardous Waste Program
Because hazardous materials like oil-based paints, pool chemicals, and heavy metals severely threaten Long Island's fragile groundwater aquifers, they are strictly banned from being discarded in the green bags. The Town of Southampton hosts the Stop Throwing Out Pollutants (S.T.O.P.) program with specialized drop-off events throughout the year. Residents must store their hazardous waste safely at home and bring it only to these designated events for proper environmental processing.
Drop-off Facilities
North Sea Transfer Station
1370 Majors Path, Southampton, NY 11968
Materials Accepted
Hampton Bays Transfer Station
30 Jackson Ave, Hampton Bays, NY 11946
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Town of Southampton provide curbside garbage pickup?
No, the Town of Southampton does not offer municipal curbside garbage collection. Residents have two options: use the town's self-haul 'pay-per-bag' program by bringing their waste to a transfer station, or independently hire a private, licensed collection company.
Where can I buy the green town garbage bags?
The official Green Town Garbage Bags are strictly required for the self-haul program and have the town's disposal fee built into the price. They can be purchased at various local retailers, including King Kullen, Stop & Shop, True Value Hardware, and 7-Eleven locations throughout the town.
Are the town transfer stations open every day?
The North Sea and Hampton Bays transfer stations are open seven days a week. However, the Sag Harbor and Westhampton transfer stations are closed every Wednesday. All stations operate from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., but the fee-based scales always close at 3:30 p.m.
How do I dispose of old electronics or a television in Southampton?
Electronic waste is accepted at the North Sea and Hampton Bays transfer stations. Because e-waste cannot go in the green bags, you must self-haul it to the facility and pay the applicable electronic disposal fee at the scale house.