Setout Times Have Changed
Learn more about the new setout times for residents and businesses.
In most cases, we do not collect from businesses. Businesses must arrange to have garbage and recyclables removed by a licensed carting company, though owners can also apply for permission from the Business Integrity Commission (BIC) to haul their own waste.
Separating Recyclables
All businesses in NYC are required to recycle certain materials. Private carters must provide separate garbage and recycling collection and must transport recyclables to appropriate facilities.
It is never, under any circumstances, permitted for recyclable material to be collected in the same bag with garbage, or be placed in the same compartment of a truck or container with garbage.
Pricing Guidelines and Competitive Rates
Private carters bill customers based on volume or weight or they charge a flat fee. Their invoices must include an itemized list of charges. The Business Integrity Commission (BIC) sets the maximum rates that private carters can charge for certain services. Getting quotes from multiple carters is highly recommended and may save on costs.
In some cases, neighboring stores can share collection service to reduce costs. A merchant who disposes of a smaller amount of waste (less than 20 gallons over seven consecutive days) can share private carter service with an adjacent business. Both businesses sharing private carter services must be offered written documentation by the private carter and given a free decal.
Setout Times
Prepare for recycling and garbage collection at the correct time. Keep waste in heavy-duty, securely tied bags or covered bins. Business waste should never be placed in or beside our corner litter baskets.
Daytime Pick-ups: Set out waste for collection within two hours of the scheduled pick-up.
Nighttime Pick-ups: Set out waste within one hour of closing your business for the evening. Remove the bins after collection.
Carter Decals
Post and maintain an official (BIC) decal for each carter utilized. The decal(s) should be posted in your window or somewhere visible from the street and must include the carter name, address, phone number, and license; describe the material the carter collects; the pickup schedule; and, if applicable, how the carter collects. (source-separated recycling, co-collected recycling, or single-stream recycling). Keep a copy of your contract or receipt readily available at your business.
For multi-tenant buildings, property management should maintain a list of all tenants businesses that share private carter service as part of the same agreement. Ground-floor retail establishments in such buildings must also post and maintain a separate decal.
Exception – Professional Fee Program
We offer a convenient alternative to private carter service for professional services, such as physicians and lawyers who conduct business in residential buildings. Through this fee-based service, we will collect recyclables and garbage. The annual fee is based on the estimated average number of 20-gallon bags of recyclables and garbage that your business generates per week. You may qualify if your business is in a DSNY-serviced building and you meet any one of the following criteria:
- You are authorized by law to engage in an occupation in a residential location that also serves as your home.
- You or your group are licensed NYS physicians, dentists, accountants, lawyers, chiropractors, or other licensed professions with a practice located in a basement or on the first or second floor of a residential building.
- You are engaged in a profession located in a residential portion of the building that has been used for the same occupational purpose since December 15, 1961.