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CCCurb and ContainerClear rules for trash, recycling, compost and tickets in NYC

NYC · DSNY RULES Clear rules for trash, recycling, compost and tickets in NYC

NYC Household Waste Rules, Explained Plainly

A plain-English practical reference for NYC residents and supers on set-out times, bins, recycling, compost, bulk pickup, e-waste and DSNY summonses. Set-out windows, bins, recycling sorts, compost, bulk items and tickets, each on its own page.

Start with set-out rulesSort recycling right

15 plain guides3 sectionsResidents, supers, landlords

Illustration: sanitation bins lined at the curb at dusk in New York City, drawn for Curb and Container readers.
Trash and recycling bins at the curb at dusk, the hour this reference explains first.
01 / 03

The three sections of the reference

Three doors into the same routine: putting waste out, sorting it right, and handling big items, buildings and tickets.

  1. Illustration: A superintendent wheeling two lidded trash bins to the curb at dusk on a quiet residential block in New York City, drawn for Curb and Container readers.

    Section 01

    NYC Set-Out Times and Container Rules

    Start here for NYC set-out times, container rules, bag limits and holiday delays, with clear steps for residents, supers and small landlords citywide.

    Opens the set-out times and containers shelf: 13 guides inside.

  2. Illustration: A resident sorting paper and metal recyclables into two bins in a bright apartment kitchen in New York City, drawn for Curb and Container readers.

    Section 02

    NYC Recycling and Composting Explained

    Learn how NYC sorts paper, metal, glass, plastic and food scraps, plus curbside compost rules, bin care and fixes for the most common sorting errors.

    Opens the recycling and compost shelf: 12 guides inside.

  3. Illustration: Two workers loading a discarded sofa into a collection truck on a city street in the morning in New York City, drawn for Curb and Container readers.

    Section 03

    Bulk Waste, Building Duties and Tickets

    Find bulk pickup, e-waste drop-off, mattress rules, building-size duties and how DSNY summonses are issued, paid and challenged in hearings.

    Opens the bulk waste, buildings and tickets shelf: 19 guides inside.

Guides

Start with these six guides

The six pages new readers open first: evening set-out, bins, sorting, compost, bulky furniture and tickets.

  1. Illustration: A row of covered bins lined along a sidewalk at early evening with a brownstone facade behind them in New York City, drawn for Curb and Container readers.

    Set-Out Times and Containers

    NYC Trash Set-Out Times and Holidays

    See NYC trash set-out times by season, container rules after 8 pm, holiday collection shifts and what supers should tell tenants before pickup day.

    Guide for residents and building staff, with steps and limits.

  2. Illustration: A close view of sturdy lidded trash bins with tight lids standing on a concrete sidewalk in New York City, drawn for Curb and Container readers.

    Set-Out Times and Containers

    Container Rules for NYC Trash Bins

    Understand NYC containerization rules for homes and small buildings, which bins qualify, when bags are allowed and how to avoid set-out tickets.

    Guide for residents and building staff, with steps and limits.

  3. Illustration: A porter tying a trash bag beside a row of bins in a tidy basement refuse room in New York City, drawn for Curb and Container readers.

    Set-Out Times and Containers

    Bag and Bin Limits for NYC Homes

    Check weight and volume limits for NYC trash bags and bins, lid rules, extra-bag tags and daily safe handling tips for porters and tenants alike.

    Guide for residents and building staff, with steps and limits.

  4. Illustration: A resident pulling a full bin back from the curb on a rainy street after a delayed pickup in New York City, drawn for Curb and Container readers.

    Set-Out Times and Containers

    Missed NYC Collections and What to Do

    Learn what to do when NYC trash pickup is missed or delayed by weather, holidays or trucks, plus where to report it and how to store waste meanwhile.

    Guide for residents and building staff, with steps and limits.

  5. Illustration: Hands placing a rinsed metal can into a blue recycling bin beside plain flattened cardboard in New York City, drawn for Curb and Container readers.

    Recycling and Compost

    Sorting Paper, Metal, Glass and Plastic

    Master NYC recycling sorts for paper and cardboard, metal glass and plastic, with bag rules, chute tips and what belongs in each bin every week.

    Guide for residents and building staff, with steps and limits.

  6. Illustration: A brown food-scrap bin with vegetable peels on a sidewalk next to a small garden bed in New York City, drawn for Curb and Container readers.

    Recycling and Compost

    Curbside Composting and Brown Bin Use

    Follow NYC curbside compost rules for food scraps and yard waste, brown bin setup, accepted items, pickup day habits and odor control basics.

    Guide for residents and building staff, with steps and limits.

§ Curated shelf

Three pages supers bookmark

Building staff return to these three pages: which bin the city wants, how the brown bin stays clean, and what to do when a ticket lands.

Illustration: lidded bins waiting by a residential curb in the evening in New York City.
Bins staged for the evening set-out window on a residential block.
02 · Shelf

Set-Out Times and Containers

Start here for NYC set-out times, container rules, bag limits and holiday delays, with clear steps for residents, supers and small landlords citywide.

  1. Illustration: A row of covered bins lined along a sidewalk at early evening with a brownstone facade behind them in New York City, drawn for Curb and Container readers.

    Set-Out Times and Containers

    NYC Trash Set-Out Times and Holidays

    See NYC trash set-out times by season, container rules after 8 pm, holiday collection shifts and what supers should tell

    Full guide with steps, limits and what to check next.

  2. Illustration: A close view of sturdy lidded trash bins with tight lids standing on a concrete sidewalk in New York City, drawn for Curb and Container readers.

    Set-Out Times and Containers

    Container Rules for NYC Trash Bins

    Understand NYC containerization rules for homes and small buildings, which bins qualify, when bags are allowed and how t

    Full guide with steps, limits and what to check next.

  3. Illustration: A porter tying a trash bag beside a row of bins in a tidy basement refuse room in New York City, drawn for Curb and Container readers.

    Set-Out Times and Containers

    Bag and Bin Limits for NYC Homes

    Check weight and volume limits for NYC trash bags and bins, lid rules, extra-bag tags and daily safe handling tips for p

    Full guide with steps, limits and what to check next.

  4. Illustration: A resident pulling a full bin back from the curb on a rainy street after a delayed pickup in New York City, drawn for Curb and Container readers.

    Set-Out Times and Containers

    Missed NYC Collections and What to Do

    Learn what to do when NYC trash pickup is missed or delayed by weather, holidays or trucks, plus where to report it and

    Full guide with steps, limits and what to check next.

  5. Illustration: A printed building notice taped inside a glass-fronted lobby board beside brass mailboxes in New York City, drawn for Curb and Container readers.

    Set-Out Times and Containers

    Where Residents Find Local Information

    Where NYC sanitation information actually reaches residents: posted notices, 311, service pages, and the channels a buil

    Full guide with steps, limits and what to check next.

  6. Illustration: A porter in gloves tilting a wheeled bin with bent knees beside a building entry in New York City, drawn for Curb and Container readers.

    Set-Out Times and Containers

    Moving Bins Without Hurting Your Back

    How porters and supers move heavy bins and bags without back strain: grip, stance, splitting loads and the warm-up that

    Full guide with steps, limits and what to check next.

  7. Illustration: A close view of a white ceramic bathroom sink at eye level in daylight from a window on the left, showing a ring of chalky white mineral deposit around the chrome faucet base and a folded yellow microfiber cloth resting on the wet counter beside it in New York City, drawn for Curb and Container readers.

    Set-Out Times and Containers

    Household Cleaning: Limescale, Delicates, Kitchen Odors

    Practical steps for bathroom limescale, washing delicate clothes, and kitchen odors, written for NYC apartments with sma

    Full guide with steps, limits and what to check next.

  8. Illustration: A surveyor's clipboard resting on a windowsill beside a partly opened white PVC casement, with a tape measure and a pencil on the sill, daylight from the left in New York City, drawn for Curb and Container readers.

    Set-Out Times and Containers

    Replacement Windows: PVC, Timber, and Contract Checks

    What to verify before signing a PVC window contract, how PVC and timber windows compare, and whether timber sliding sash

    Full guide with steps, limits and what to check next.

  9. Illustration: A cutaway wall section on a workbench in daylight, showing mineral wool between wood studs, a sealed sheathing panel on the outside and a low-emissivity foil facing the cavity, shot straight on at close range in New York City, drawn for Curb and Container readers.

    Set-Out Times and Containers

    Passive Systems: Thermal Barrier, Earth Tubes, Solar Roof

    How a thermal barrier works in an exterior wall, how earth tubes and ground heat storage move heat, and whether a roof c

    Full guide with steps, limits and what to check next.

  10. Illustration: A workbench in an unheated garage in late November, bundles of noble fir tips stacked beside a wire wreath ring, spool wire and cutters on a folded cloth, cold daylight from an open side door in New York City, drawn for Curb and Container readers.

    Set-Out Times and Containers

    How Fresh Evergreen Wreaths Are Made and Sized

    A step by step look at how fresh evergreen wreaths are built, how noble fir compares with mixed evergreen, and how much

    Full guide with steps, limits and what to check next.

  11. Illustration: A narrow building utility closet at mid morning, shelves holding labeled spray bottles and a dilution chart taped to the wall, nitrile gloves and a measuring cup on a metal shelf, soft daylight from a single overhead bulb, medium shot at shelf height in New York City, drawn for Curb and Container readers.

    Set-Out Times and Containers

    Professional Cleaning and Hygiene for NYC Buildings

    A practical guide to professional cleaning and hygiene for NYC building staff: surface order, chemical safety, dilution,

    Full guide with steps, limits and what to check next.

  12. Illustration: A basement floor drain with a metal grate, a small puddle around it, and a flashlight beam crossing the concrete floor at a low angle in New York City, drawn for Curb and Container readers.

    Set-Out Times and Containers

    Drain Unblocking and Local Plumbing Basics

    A plain-English guide to drain unblocking and local plumbing for NYC residents, supers, and small building staff, with p

    Full guide with steps, limits and what to check next.

  13. Illustration: A paper bag of dry tulip bulbs open on a basement workbench under a bare bulb, with a few bulbs set apart on newspaper and one showing a small white root at its base in New York City, drawn for Curb and Container readers.

    Set-Out Times and Containers

    Tulip Bulbs for NYC Gardeners: Groups, Storage, Bloom

    A plain guide to tulip bulb groups, bloom periods, planting depth and storage, with notes for New York City gardeners an

    Full guide with steps, limits and what to check next.

03 · Shelf

Recycling and Compost

Learn how NYC sorts paper, metal, glass, plastic and food scraps, plus curbside compost rules, bin care and fixes for the most common sorting errors.

  1. Illustration: Hands placing a rinsed metal can into a blue recycling bin beside plain flattened cardboard in New York City, drawn for Curb and Container readers.

    Recycling and Compost

    Sorting Paper, Metal, Glass and Plastic

    Master NYC recycling sorts for paper and cardboard, metal glass and plastic, with bag rules, chute tips and what belongs

    Full guide with steps, limits and what to check next.

  2. Illustration: A brown food-scrap bin with vegetable peels on a sidewalk next to a small garden bed in New York City, drawn for Curb and Container readers.

    Recycling and Compost

    Curbside Composting and Brown Bin Use

    Follow NYC curbside compost rules for food scraps and yard waste, brown bin setup, accepted items, pickup day habits and

    Full guide with steps, limits and what to check next.

  3. Illustration: A superintendent wiping a compost bin in a bright basement sorting area with paper liners nearby in New York City, drawn for Curb and Container readers.

    Recycling and Compost

    Clean Shared Compost Bins in Apartments

    Keep shared compost bins clean in NYC apartment buildings with liner tips, chute-room routines, pest prevention and supe

    Full guide with steps, limits and what to check next.

  4. Illustration: An open recycling bin with loose bottles and paper viewed from above in daylight in New York City, drawn for Curb and Container readers.

    Recycling and Compost

    Recycling Mistakes That Bring Fines

    Avoid the top recycling errors that draw NYC fines, from bagged recyclables and dirty containers to batteries, cords and

    Full guide with steps, limits and what to check next.

  5. Illustration: A corner compost heap behind a small garden fence with a fork leaning on it in New York City, drawn for Curb and Container readers.

    Recycling and Compost

    What a Home Compost Heap Can Take

    After organics leave the NYC curb, a home heap or trench finishes the job at garden scale: what goes in, what stays out

    Full guide with steps, limits and what to check next.

  6. Illustration: Empty glass bottles and jars lined on a kitchen counter next to a blue recycling bin in New York City, drawn for Curb and Container readers.

    Recycling and Compost

    Bottles, Deposits and the Glass Bin

    How returnable bottles, wine glass and jars sort in NYC: the five-cent deposit, the metal-glass-plastic bin and what lab

    Full guide with steps, limits and what to check next.

  7. Illustration: A cellophane-wrapped gift basket with ribbon on a hall table beside flattened wrapping paper in New York City, drawn for Curb and Container readers.

    Recycling and Compost

    Gift Baskets and Holiday Packaging Waste

    What a gift basket leaves behind: cellophane, shred, ribbon and baskets, and which parts of holiday packaging belong in

    Full guide with steps, limits and what to check next.

  8. Illustration: A laminated sorting sign taped to a basement wall above two labeled bins in New York City, drawn for Curb and Container readers.

    Recycling and Compost

    A Recycling Sign Residents Actually Read

    How to write and post a sorting sign that tenants follow: wording, placement at the chute and bin line, and keeping the

    Full guide with steps, limits and what to check next.

  9. Illustration: A kitchen table in late afternoon light with a year of utility bills, a fuel receipt, and a pocket calculator arranged beside a notebook, shot from slightly above in New York City, drawn for Curb and Container readers.

    Recycling and Compost

    How to Measure a Household Carbon Footprint

    A step by step method for measuring a household carbon footprint, what a calculator counts, and which home sources belon

    Full guide with steps, limits and what to check next.

  10. Illustration: A grey smart electricity meter mounted on a tiled wall in a Spanish building's meter room, its small digital display lit, with a bundle of labelled cables running into a closed panel, photographed straight on in the flat light of a stairwell in New York City, drawn for Curb and Container readers.

    Recycling and Compost

    Red eléctrica: distribuidora vs comercializadora

    Guide to Spain's electric grid: what the distribuidora does, how to find yours, who to call in an outage, and how smart

    Full guide with steps, limits and what to check next.

  11. Illustration: A small standby generator set in a concrete equipment room, its control panel lit, a clipboard with a handwritten load list resting on the housing, photographed in flat overhead light from a slight angle in New York City, drawn for Curb and Container readers.

    Recycling and Compost

    Backup Generators and the Operating File

    How backup generator documentation works: engine brand files, Deep Sea and ComAp controllers, ATS cabinets, load testing

    Full guide with steps, limits and what to check next.

  12. Illustration: A row of grey steel electrolyser stacks inside a bright industrial hall, seen from a low three-quarter angle, with insulated pipes and a pressure gauge panel in the foreground and daylight from high windows in New York City, drawn for Curb and Container readers.

    Recycling and Compost

    Hydrogen Energy and Clean Technology Basics

    How hydrogen fits clean energy: electrolyser output, fuel cell duty cycles, pipeline blending, safety, and offtake contr

    Full guide with steps, limits and what to check next.

04 · Shelf

Bulk Waste, Buildings and Tickets

Find bulk pickup, e-waste drop-off, mattress rules, building-size duties and how DSNY summonses are issued, paid and challenged in hearings.

  1. Illustration: A wrapped mattress leaning against a building wall beside a small wooden table awaiting pickup in New York City, drawn for Curb and Container readers.

    Bulk Waste, Buildings and Tickets

    Scheduling Bulk Pickup for Furniture

    Book NYC bulk pickup for sofas, tables and mattresses, learn size limits, wrapping rules, curbside timing and options fo

    Full guide with steps, limits and what to check next.

  2. Illustration: A counter with old phones, chargers and a closed laptop arranged for sorting in a community collection room in New York City, drawn for Curb and Container readers.

    Bulk Waste, Buildings and Tickets

    Recycling Electronics and E-Waste

    Find safe options for NYC e-waste, from phones and laptops to TVs and batteries, with store take-back, mail-back and dro

    Full guide with steps, limits and what to check next.

  3. Illustration: A superintendent checking bins in front of a mid-size apartment building on a clear morning in New York City, drawn for Curb and Container readers.

    Bulk Waste, Buildings and Tickets

    Building Size Rules for Trash Duties

    Compare waste duties for small and large NYC buildings, from 1-to-9 unit rules to 10-plus container plans, staff roles a

    Full guide with steps, limits and what to check next.

  4. Illustration: A person sitting at a plain wooden desk with empty folders in a quiet office room in New York City, drawn for Curb and Container readers.

    Bulk Waste, Buildings and Tickets

    Contesting a DSNY Sanitation Summons

    Get a clear path for DSNY tickets, hearing dates, evidence to bring, online and mail contest steps and what happens afte

    Full guide with steps, limits and what to check next.

  5. Illustration: A clipboard and a folder of dated slips on a small office desk with a pencil in New York City, drawn for Curb and Container readers.

    Bulk Waste, Buildings and Tickets

    Keeping a Building's Waste Paperwork in Order

    Which waste records a small NYC building should keep: pickup logs, summons paperwork, hauler slips and the file that ans

    Full guide with steps, limits and what to check next.

  6. Illustration: A phone held at chest height photographing a row of bins at a curb in daylight in New York City, drawn for Curb and Container readers.

    Bulk Waste, Buildings and Tickets

    Photographing a Violation for a Hearing

    How to photograph a curb, bin line or blocked sidewalk so the pictures help at an OATH hearing: angles, light, sequence

    Full guide with steps, limits and what to check next.

  7. Illustration: A sofa and taped moving boxes waiting beside a stoop on a residential sidewalk in New York City, drawn for Curb and Container readers.

    Bulk Waste, Buildings and Tickets

    Move-Out Week and the Pile at the Curb

    What tenant turnover leaves at a NYC curb: furniture, bags and boxes, how to stage a move-out cleanout and what to salva

    Full guide with steps, limits and what to check next.

  8. Illustration: A housekeeping cart with folded liners and a spray bottle in a narrow service corridor in New York City, drawn for Curb and Container readers.

    Bulk Waste, Buildings and Tickets

    What a Small Hotel Teaches a Trash Room

    Housekeeping habits a small building can borrow from small hotels: daily bin checks, labeled supplies and a ten-minute m

    Full guide with steps, limits and what to check next.

  9. Illustration: Paper cups and streamers being swept into a dustpan on a closed-off street at dawn in New York City, drawn for Curb and Container readers.

    Bulk Waste, Buildings and Tickets

    What a Block Party Leaves at the Curb

    The morning after a NYC block party or open street: sorting event waste, who sweeps, and the permits and habits that mak

    Full guide with steps, limits and what to check next.

  10. Illustration: A folding table with a deck of cards and score pad in a bright community room in New York City, drawn for Curb and Container readers.

    Bulk Waste, Buildings and Tickets

    Card Night in the Community Room

    Running a card or game night in a shared building room: booking, tables, snacks, and the ten-minute cleanup that keeps t

    Full guide with steps, limits and what to check next.

  11. Illustration: An older desktop monitor on an office desk showing a startup program list in New York City, drawn for Curb and Container readers.

    Bulk Waste, Buildings and Tickets

    The Office Computer That Boots Too Slowly

    Why the building office PC crawls at startup: too many auto-start programs, and the safe order for checking and trimming

    Full guide with steps, limits and what to check next.

  12. Illustration: A wide suburban intersection in Melbourne at mid-morning, a new concrete rail bridge crossing above an empty multi-lane road, traffic signals and a pedestrian fence in the foreground, soft overcast light in New York City, drawn for Curb and Container readers.

    Bulk Waste, Buildings and Tickets

    How Australian Road Projects Get Built

    A plain guide to how road projects move from business case to opening in Australia, plus level crossing removals and les

    Full guide with steps, limits and what to check next.

  13. Illustration: A narrow coquina-walled alley in St. Augustine at dusk, a single porch light above a wooden gate, a coiled garden hose and a metal trash bin against the wall, shot from eye level with the wet brick paving reflecting the light in New York City, drawn for Curb and Container readers.

    Bulk Waste, Buildings and Tickets

    Fire Safety Jobs and Home Habits in Older Cities

    How household routines and paid fire safety work connect for renters, owners and job seekers in older coastal neighborho

    Full guide with steps, limits and what to check next.

  14. Illustration: A shelf clock with a painted dial and a mahogany case sits on a workbench beside a loupe, a small screwdriver and a handwritten index card, lit by a window on an overcast morning in New York City, drawn for Curb and Container readers.

    Bulk Waste, Buildings and Tickets

    Antique Clocks: Start, Date, Restore

    A plain guide to antique clocks: how to start a collection, how to date a clock by its movement and case, and what resto

    Full guide with steps, limits and what to check next.

  15. Illustration: A narrow tobacco shop counter at dusk, glass display case holding stacked tins and a row of coconut charcoal boxes, warm overhead light, shot from the customer side at chest height in New York City, drawn for Curb and Container readers.

    Bulk Waste, Buildings and Tickets

    Tobacco Shop Stock and the Water Pipe Trade

    How tobacco shop stock reaches a water pipe smoker in New York, from leaf and molasses to tins, pouches and the customs

    Full guide with steps, limits and what to check next.

  16. Illustration: A wall-mounted smoke alarm on a painted hallway ceiling in a prewar apartment building, photographed from below in soft daylight coming through a stairwell window, with the alarm centered and the ceiling edge in focus in New York City, drawn for Curb and Container readers.

    Bulk Waste, Buildings and Tickets

    Home Fire Safety for NYC Renters and Supers

    A practical guide to smoke alarms, extinguishers, and escape plans for NYC apartments, with set-out and storage notes fo

    Full guide with steps, limits and what to check next.

  17. Illustration: A row of young fan palms with staked trunks along a low stone wall in a coastal hotel garden, late afternoon side light, wide shot showing the root zone and the irrigation line in New York City, drawn for Curb and Container readers.

    Bulk Waste, Buildings and Tickets

    Palm Care and Small Hotel Season Planning

    A practical look at palm identification, planting, watering and cold limits, with notes on how a small hotel season plan

    Full guide with steps, limits and what to check next.

  18. Illustration: A public reading room table in late afternoon light, with a printed statistical yearbook open to a page of tables, a pencil resting in the gutter, and a laptop screen showing a line chart slightly out of focus behind it in New York City, drawn for Curb and Container readers.

    Bulk Waste, Buildings and Tickets

    Reading a Housing Market Before You Trust a Number

    How to read housing market data: check the source, the year, the geographic scope and the definition before comparing pr

    Full guide with steps, limits and what to check next.

  19. Illustration: A curbside row of black trash bins and blue recycling bins on a narrow New York City sidewalk at dawn, with a steel utility plate set into the asphalt behind them and a gas main marker post at the curb, shot from a low angle in soft early light in New York City, drawn for Curb and Container readers.

    Bulk Waste, Buildings and Tickets

    Pipeline Safety Data and NYC Utility Rules

    How federal pipeline incident data, 49 CFR reporting, and NYC set-out rules connect for residents, supers, and small bui

    Full guide with steps, limits and what to check next.

Tickets and duties

Tickets, buildings and big items

Missed pickups, oversize furniture, dead electronics and the summons process sit on one shelf, because supers meet them in the same week.

Evenings at the curb

Set-out first, sorting second

Evening timing decides whether the morning crew takes the pile or leaves it tagged. These four pages set the habit before the sorting details.

Plates

Curbside plates from the reference

Four drawn plates from the guide pages: bins, sorting, bulk items and building checks.

  1. Illustration: A row of covered bins lined along a sidewalk at early evening with a brownstone facade behind them in New York City, drawn for Curb and Container readers.
    Plate 1: NYC Trash Set-Out Times and Holidays
  2. Illustration: Hands placing a rinsed metal can into a blue recycling bin beside plain flattened cardboard in New York City, drawn for Curb and Container readers.
    Plate 2: Sorting Paper, Metal, Glass and Plastic
  3. Illustration: A wrapped mattress leaning against a building wall beside a small wooden table awaiting pickup in New York City, drawn for Curb and Container readers.
    Plate 3: Scheduling Bulk Pickup for Furniture
  4. Illustration: A superintendent checking bins in front of a mid-size apartment building on a clear morning in New York City, drawn for Curb and Container readers.
    Plate 4: Building Size Rules for Trash Duties

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Other plain references on public rules

The same reading habit used for city code works one level up: civic desks that quote the source text and say what a rule actually requires.