| Trash Pickup – Residential | |
| Policies and procedures | |
| Weekly household trash should be placed out to the curb after 8:00 p.m. the night before your pickup day, or before 6:00 a.m. the day of your pickup. You may use three (3) 30-gallon trash cans or clear trash bags. The cans or bags must not exceed 50 pounds each. Call us at 448-CITY(2489) if you are unsure of your scheduled trash day. Never mix household trash with other forms of debris such as construction debris or yard waste. | |
| Recycling is mandatory in Onondaga County. Blue recycle bins are provided by the City. If you need an additional bin or a new bin call 448-CITY. For more information regarding recycling, please visit www.ocrra.org. | |
| Bulk household trash: Bulk items include old furniture (non-wood), appliances, carpets, doors (non-wooden), mattresses, scrap metal, etc. Each household is entitled to four (4) bulk pick ups a year. Most bulk items will be picked up on your regularly scheduled trash day, however, you must request the extra pickup one or two days prior to your trash day. Each pickup cannot exceed two (2) cubic yards (approximately the size of a washer/dryer side by side). Each household is entitled to dispose of four (4) tires per year; this is in addition to the four bulk pickups. To schedule a bulk pickup or tire pickup call 448-CITY (2489) Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. For information on the disposal of construction debris and yard waste see Street Cleaning. | |
| Hazardous/unacceptable waste includes but is not limited to: insecticides, pesticides, paints, solvents, thinners, gasoline, motor oil, explosives, human and animal remains. For information on disposal of these items contact the Onondaga County Resource Recovery Agency at www.ocrra.org. Yard waste (brush, leaves, grass clippings) and construction/demolition debris cannot be picked up or mixed with household trash (for disposal see section on Street Cleaning, Yard Waste and Construction Debris). | |
| Animal waste (cat litter, dog feces) cannot be mixed with household trash unless it is properly and securely wrapped and routinely deposited – in small amounts – in household waste containers. | |
| Holiday trash pickup schedule:Trash pick up will be one day late on and for the remainder of the week the following holidays only: New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas, and Martin Luther King Day. | |
| Violations of the Syracuse Health and Sanitation Code | |
| • | Early/late set out – Any type of debris set out to the curb at any time other than the scheduled pick up day. |
| • | Improper containerization – Debris not contained in 30 gal. trash cans or intact, sealed trash bags. |
| • | Excessive debris – too much debris at the curb (anything greater than 2 cubic yards-approximate size of washer/dryer side by side). |
| • | Improper separation – different forms of debris mixed together, i.e. brush with household waste; construction debris with household waste; brush and construction debris; etc. |
| • | To report a violation of the Health and Sanitation Code call 448-CITY (2489). |
Whether you drop it off or your hauler picks it up curbside, participating in OCRRA’s recycling program makes it easy to save the world a little each day.
Each year, working together, Onondaga County residents recycle over 70 million pounds of material in our blue bins. That means 60% of our waste materials are actually recycled!
With your help, and a few handy guidelines, we continue to work toward a cleaner county – and a brighter future.
Recycling Rules
Does that plastic bottle go in the trash or the blue bin? (Always the blue bin.) What about plastic bags? (Never in the blue bin, whether empty or containing recyclables; however, you can recycle plastic bags at local stores.)
If you aren’t sure how to dispose of an item, OCRRA is here to assist. Check out the Onondaga County recycling rules or our database which helps you find the right way to get rid of all sorts of waste, from electronics to yard waste.
Use the “How do I get rid of” bar above to search the database.
Throwing things in the blue bin that aren’t recyclable only contaminates the recycling stream and reduces what gets recycled. So remember – when in doubt, throw it out!
Please remember not to put plastic bags in the recycling bin. This includes putting loose plastic bags in the bin, and putting recyclables in plastic bags and then putting the bags in the bin. Clean plastic bags can be returned to most stores that give them out.
Blue Bin Details
In Onondaga County, recycling often starts with a blue bin. It provides residents with an easy way to collect recyclables and put them out to the curb, and makes sure that those items end up in the right place.
And since single-stream recycling is now here in Onondaga County, it’s okay for recyclable papers and recyclable containers to go in the same bin. No more separating!
If you’re a resident of Onondaga County, you can get a blue bin for free. Check the list below to find out how to get a blue bin where you live:
