How to properly donate and dispose of your items in NYC

City living often requires you to continually re-evaluate your belongings. Whether it’s changing decor trends, changing fashion trends, or changing the square footage of living space. No matter the reason, if you need to donate or dispose of your belongings there are a few things to know before you pack them in the trash or recycling bins. Following the city regulations for disposal and considering donation, particularly for larger items, will save you space taken up from items you no longer want, money (from fines), hazardous conditions, and most importantly, it will make you a responsible neighbor.

Read on for more on how to rid your space of unwanted items in the big city.

Regular recycling and trash removal

Your NYC address dictates the day that your recycling and trash collection occurs. It’s key to only put items in the trash or recycling bins that can fit and are appropriate for that type of collection.

The city will accept the following items in the recycling bins:

• Paper
• Cardboard
• Glass
• Metal
• Plastic (not pliable)
• Beverage cartons

The good news is that there isn’t a limit on how many bags or items you can put into this recycling collection.

Trash collection has fewer limitations on what you can put into trash bins, but more on the amount in the bag and type of bag. The regulations for residential trash collection includes:

• Putting trash into leak-proof bins no larger than 55 gallons.
• Must put trash into opaque bags no heavier than 60lbs
• Can’t use bags that are blue, red, clear, or other colors for regular trash.

There is also no limit on how many trash bags you can put out curbside on your collection day.

Beyond the typical trash and recycling collection:

Bulky item curbside pickup

If the items you’d like to dispose of are too big to put in regular recycling or trash bins, then bulk item curbside pickup may be a good option. It’s free and you just need to coordinate with your typical recycling or trash collection days. You can put up to 6 bulky items per collection day on the curb between 6pm and 12 midnight the night before your collection day.

There is a difference between what you can put out for bulky item recycling and what you can put out for bulky item trash collection.

• Recyclable bulk items: Large items that are mostly metal and rigid plastic can be placed on the curb with your recycling bin. These may include:
  • Metal lawn chairs and furniture
  • Grills
  • Bicycles
  • Washers and dryers
  • Dishwashers
  • Bedsprings
  • Big plastic toys
  • Ovens
  • Paper shredders

• Bulk items for the trash: Large items that can’t be recycled must be placed out the night before your bulk trash collection day. These items can include:
  • Recliner chairs
  • Artificial plants
  • Plush furniture (ones that aren’t mostly metal or plastic)
  • Christmas trees (real or artificial)
  • Area rugs
  • Toilets
  • Wooden tables

Exceptions to bulk item disposal

Special request for disposal of items containing CFCs 

The Department of Sanitation cannot collect the following items because they contain chlorofluorocarbon gas (CFC, also called Freon). You’ll need to make an appointment to have the items collected so the chemicals can be safely removed. These items include:

• Air conditioner units
• Dehumidifiers
• Refrigerators and freezers (with non-flammable Freon)
• Water coolers

Disposing of Electronics

Electronics or e-waste can’t be recycled or put in the trash collection because of hazardous material. These typically include:

• Televisions
• Computers, monitors, keyboards, mice, cables
• Laptops
• Tablets
• Electronic keyboards
• Printers
• Fax machines
• MP3 players
• Scanners
• Video cameras
• DVD players
• Video game consoles
• Smartphones and tablets

Proper disposal includes taking the following items to designated waste drop-off sites or SAFE disposal events in the city. For those who live on Staten Island, request a pick up appointment.

Mattresses

Mattresses can be set out with the bulk item trash collection on your collection date, but additional steps need to be taken for them to be picked up. All mattresses and box springs must be put into plastic mattress bags (any color except for red or orange) prior to being set out curbside. Failure to do so may result in a $100 dollar fine — beyond that, this practice helps curb the spread of bed bugs in the city. The Department of Sanitation does not provide these bags, they must be purchased. They can often be found at department stores, moving supply stores, or home improvement stores.

Oversized items

Though you may not find yourself in the situation to dispose of a furniture item that is particularly large, it’s worth knowing how you might need to handle it if you do. If the item won’t fit within a typical trash collection truck, you have two options. You can break the item down so that the pieces will fit or you’ll need to hire a private removal service to take it away.

Private removal service

Hiring a private removal service may be necessary if any of your items can’t be:

• Collected in trash or recycling bins
• Put into the collection truck ( assembled or in pieces)

Donating to thrift store, neighbors, or charity

If your items are reusable and in good working order, other people may be able to give it a second life! If this route sounds like a plan to you, call around to your local secondhand or thrift stores to learn whether what you have is something they can accept and how you can get it to them. You may even receive a donation receipt so that you can claim a deduction on your taxes.

You may also be able to have your neighbors come to you to pick up your unwanted items. You can join your local Buy Nothing or Freecycle group and list your belongings there. Others in the groups can claim your items and you can negotiate how pick up will take place.

If you’re needing to move the rest you aim to keep with you once you’ve sorted out the items you no longer want, partner with the best movers in the biz: Piece of Cake Moving and Storage. Working with our seasoned professionals will help you determine the combination of moving and storage services that’s right for you. Whether it’s a small one-item move or a full cross-country residential relocation, we’ve got you covered. And, you won’t be worried that you’re just throwing money away, we make it an affordable effort with our flat-fee guarantee. Save money, save time, and save yourself some stress by working with the best movers in the city.