What is considered garbage as opposed to "trash"?

Anything that fits in an official City Bag belongs in a City Bag and is considered garbage. Anything too large or too heavy to go in a City Bag is considered trash.

Department:

Sanitation Division

FAQ

Why do we have to use official City Bags for our garbage?

When recycling started in 1991, the City eliminated the tipping fee tax included on everyone's property tax bill that was based solely on assessment. Instead, the City went to the bag (user fee) system, which charges residents for the amount of garbage they actually generate. See City solid waste ordinance §350-21.

What is considered "yard waste" and what day is it collected?

Yard waste includes any and all parts of trees (including Christmas trees), shrubbery, grass, flowers, and similar organic waste. Soil and stone are not considered yard waste, and are not collected. Branches must be less than four (4) feet in length, less than four (4) inches in diameter, and must be bundled with string, twine or rope (no wire please). The maximum weight for bundles is 50 pounds. All other yard waste must be placed in an open top container no greater than 33 gallons or in compostable paper yard waste bags YARD WASTE IN PLASTIC BAGS WILL NO LONGER BE COLLECTED. The maximum weight for each bag or container is 50 pounds. No more than 8 containers and/or bags per property will be collected per week. Raking leaves into the street or along the curb line is prohibited. Yard waste is collected Citywide every Monday, from March 1st, 2021, through December 6th, 2021, unless a listed holiday falls within that week. Additional collection days will be announced, as deemed necessary for Christmas tree collection or special unscheduled collections.

Is recycling really necessary and effective?

Most definitely. Since the inception of the recycling program in 1990, over 130,000 tons of material has been diverted from the County Landfill, from the City of Binghamton alone. This has saved the City over $5,000,000 in tipping fees.

What should I do if my Monday collection of yard waste is not picked up on that day?

Occasionally, if yard waste is particularly heavy, our crews are sometimes not able to complete the entire Citywide route on a given Monday. If this occurs, please keep your yard waste at curbside, and our crews will collect it on Tuesday. If for some reason it is still not collected by 4:00 PM Tuesday, please contact DPW Dispatch at (607) 772-7020.

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What is considered garbage as opposed to "trash"?

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What is considered garbage as opposed to "trash"?

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