Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Southold
Trash Day
The Town does not provide municipal curbside trash pickup. Residents may bring garbage to the Cutchogue Transfer Station 7 days a week (7:00 AM to 5:00 PM) or hire an independent private carter for curbside collection.
Recycling
Drop-off is available 7 days a week (7:00 AM to 5:00 PM) at the Cutchogue Transfer Station, or according to your contracted private carter's schedule.
Yard Waste
Drop off daily from 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM at the Town Compost Facility in Cutchogue, or participate in the annual spring curbside leaf pickup.
Set Out Time
By 6:00 AM on collection day
Utility Billing & Payments
Manage your local solid waste services
Garbage disposal is funded via a Pay-As-You-Throw system and transfer station permits rather than property taxes; official yellow bags are purchased at local retailers.
Billing Cycle
Pay-As-You-Throw (Per Bag) / Biennial Permit
Accepted Methods
Online, Mail, In Person, Credit Card, E-Check
Official Town Yellow Bags Bin (Trash)
All household garbage must be placed in official Town of Southold Yellow Bags, whether you use a private carter or self-haul to the transfer station. Private carters will refuse unbagged garbage, and self-haulers without yellow bags will be charged a much higher scale fee.
Accepted Items
- ✓Standard household garbage
- ✓Food waste
- ✓Non-recyclable packaging
- ✓Latex paint (must be completely dried out)
Personal bins or clear bags Bin (Recycling)
Recyclables are dropped off free of charge at the Cutchogue Transfer Station in separated bunkers. Do not place recyclables inside the Town Yellow Bags.
Accepted Items
- ✓Mixed paper and cardboard
- ✓Plastics #1 and #2 ONLY
- ✓Glass bottles and jars
- ✓Metal cans
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastics #3 through #7
- ✕Plastic grocery bags
- ✕Styrofoam
- ✕Hazardous chemicals
- ✕Fabric or clothing
Yard Waste Bin
Seasonal highway department pickups require leaves to be placed in heavy-duty biodegradable paper bags. Plastic yard bags are strictly forbidden. Yard waste can also be self-hauled to the Cox Lane compost facility for a fee by weight.
Accepted Items
- ✓Leaves
- ✓Brush
- ✓Branches (Spring only for curbside)
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Self-Haul to Transfer Station
Placement
If you have a private carter, you must negotiate bulk pickups and extra fees directly with them. Otherwise, haul the items to 6155 Cox Lane.
Accepted
- ✓ Furniture and couches
- ✓ Mattresses
- ✓ Construction and demolition (C&D) debris
- ✓ Appliances and E-Waste (Free drop-off for electronics)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Hazardous waste (must wait for a STOP day)
- ✕ Explosives or ammunition
- ✕ Liquid chemicals
Rubbish and C&D debris are assessed a tipping fee based on the scale weight. Cash, check, or credit cards are accepted at the scale house.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
The Southold Transfer Station and Compost Facility are open 7 days a week but are fully closed on major town-observed holidays.
Yard Waste Exception
The Transfer Station's Reuse Area is closed on all holiday weekends and STOP (Stop Throwing Out Pollutants) days.
Because curbside pickup is privatized in Southold, holiday route delays vary by company. You must check with your specific private carter to see if your collection day shifts.
Observed Holidays
Seasonal Information
Spring
April to MayThe Southold Town Highway Department conducts a free curbside yard waste clean-up, collecting both branches and biodegradable bags of leaves. Exact neighborhood dates are published annually on the town website.
Fall
November to DecemberA second free curbside sweep is conducted by the Highway Department for leaves only. Brush and branches are not included in the autumn pickup and must be hauled to the compost facility.
Winter
JanuaryThe town does not offer dedicated curbside Christmas tree pickup. Residents must coordinate with their private carter or self-haul dead trees to the compost facility to avoid holiday fire hazards.
Local Tips & Community Info
Southold's Pay-As-You-Throw Yellow Bag System
Unlike many municipalities, the Town of Southold does not provide municipal curbside garbage collection funded through property taxes. Instead, the town utilizes a 'Pay-As-You-Throw' (PAYT) model to manage household waste equitably. Under this program, all everyday kitchen trash must be placed inside official Town of Southold Yellow Bags. These distinct bags are sold in local grocery stores, pharmacies, and hardware shops in three sizes: 13-gallon, 33-gallon, and 44-gallon capacities. By charging per bag, residents only pay for the exact amount of refuse they generate, which keeps disposal costs off the general tax assessment and heavily incentivizes recycling.
Using the Cutchogue Transfer Station
Because there is no town-operated curbside fleet, residents have two choices: hire a private commercial carter to pick up their bags at the curb, or self-haul their waste. Self-haulers must bring their yellow bags and recyclables to the Southold Town Transfer Station, located at 6155 Cox Lane in Cutchogue. The facility operates seven days a week from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., remaining closed only on major holidays. When arriving at the station, yellow bag customers access the residential drop-off side where they can toss their bags over a retaining wall into the lower-level bunker, keeping them safe from heavy machinery on the commercial tipping floor. Remember that residents using the station must either hold a valid vehicle permit or pay a single-entry fee at the gate.
Free Recycling and Yard Waste Composting
To encourage environmental sustainability across the North Fork, the Solid Waste Management District allows residents to drop off sorted municipal recyclables completely free of charge. Acceptable items like corrugated cardboard, mixed paper, glass bottles, and plastic containers should never be placed inside the paid yellow bags. Additionally, the town operates a dedicated Yard Waste Compost Facility right next door to the Transfer Station on Cox Lane. Here, homeowners can dispose of leaves, brush, and land-clearing debris. While raw yard waste is subject to weigh-scale fees, the resulting woodchip mulch and compost are made available for public use.
Weigh Scales for Bulky Rubbish and C&D
Standard yellow bags are strictly for everyday household trash. If you need to dispose of bulky rubbish like broken furniture, mattresses, or heavy construction and demolition (C&D) debris, a different procedure applies. These oversized items cannot be bagged and must be driven over the vehicle scales at the Transfer Station. The attendant will weigh your vehicle before and after unloading to determine the exact tonnage of your debris. Tip fees fluctuate depending on the specific material being discarded, such as concrete, clean brush, or scrap metal. Payments for scale fees can be made on-site using cash, check, or credit card.
Special Disposal for Electronics and Hazardous Waste
Certain dangerous materials are strictly banned from the general waste bunkers. Electronic waste (e-waste) such as old televisions and computers, along with major appliances, must be brought to designated drop-off zones at the transfer station. Appliances containing refrigerants, like air conditioners or old freezers, require a specific processing fee for safe Freon extraction. For highly toxic household chemicals—such as oil-based paints, pesticides, and harsh cleaners—Southold hosts Special Hazardous Waste (HHW) collection days periodically throughout the year, ensuring these pollutants never reach local groundwater.
Drop-off Facilities
Southold Transfer Station & Compost Facility
6155 Cox Lane, Cutchogue, NY 11935
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Town of Southold provide curbside garbage pickup?
No. The town does not operate municipal garbage trucks [1.1.2]. Residents must either hire a private local carter for curbside service or drive their waste to the Transfer Station in Cutchogue themselves.
Where can I buy the required yellow garbage bags?
Official Town Yellow Bags can be purchased in packs of four at various local retailers throughout Southold, Greenport, Mattituck, and Cutchogue, including King Kullen, 7-Eleven, local pharmacies, and the Town Clerk's Office.
Do I need to put my recycling in a yellow bag?
Absolutely not. Municipal recycling is completely free in Southold and should be separated from your trash. Putting recyclables into a yellow bag simply wastes the money you spent on the bag.