Contact the City of Albany at 518-434-CITY (2489) and give the constituent service representative your address and they will let you know what the scheduled collection day is for your residence.

All holidays will have normal scheduled trash and recycling pick up.

You should place your trash and recycling curbside, not before 4:30pm but before 12:00am midnight, the evening prior to your designated trash and recycling collection day. Placing your trash or recyclable curbside prior to this may result in a bill and fine for early collection. For more information on codes relating to this subject please click here.

The purpose of Albany’s waste collection and recycling program is to collect normal weekly generated household trash and recycling from residential properties with 4 or less units. Excessive quantities of trash may be subject to a bill and fine. Excessive amounts of trash is defined as anything not manageable by 1 person, unable to be loaded into a collection vehicle and takes laborers more than 4 trips between the pile and the vehicle.

We ask residents to place their trash curbside neatly with the trash and bulky items placed all together and the recycling container just next to it. This will ensure our crews know which items are trash and which are recycling. If you are placing any items that are infected with bed bugs or any other insects it needs to be wrapped it plastic prior to placing it to the curb. For more information click here.

Trash and Recycling is collected Monday through Friday between the hours of 4:00am and 12:00 noon. In some instances collection may be changed to start as early as 2:00am and be collected until 11:00pm.

Sometimes waste collection and recycling collection crews will miss a property or may run behind schedule in collecting. First: do not bring your skipped trash or recycling back into your house; leave it curbside. Second: Call the Department of General Services at 518-434- CITY (2489) and let them know it wasn’t collected. Note: trash and recycling is sometimes collected outside of the hours of 4AM and 12Noon. Just because it hasn’t been collected by 12 Noon doesn’t mean we have forgotten it.

Bulky trash is furniture such as couches, chairs, beds, tables and other items too large to fit inside of garbage can. For a list of bulky items click here.

Bulky items can be placed curbside the evening prior to your scheduled waste collection and recycling day. Before placing items curbside please call the Department of General Services at 518-434-CITY (2489).

City of Albany residents have several convenient ways to dispose of their electronics.

1) Unwanted electronics can be returned to the retail stores who sell like items (a few may apply). For a list of locations click here.

2) A permanent drop off location is located at the Department of General Services facility at One Richard J. Conners Blvd, Albany, NY 12204. Drop off hours are Monday through Friday between 7:00am and 5:00pm. Residents must present proof of residency. Electronics are not collected on weekends or holidays. Electronics should never be left after hours.

3) Electronics are accepted at scheduled household hazardous waste collection events. To learn more about the household hazardous waste collection program click here.

Yard Waste is grass clippings, branches, leaves and other biodegradable items. For a full list of acceptable material and preparation information please click here.

Yard Waste is generally collected on your regular scheduled waste collection and recycling day, Monday through Friday, between the hours of 3:00pm and 11:00pm. Note: Yard Waste can be collected anytime during the day, weekdays or weekends. If your Yard waste is not collected during the normal collection day and time please leave them curbside.

The Department of General Services starts collecting Yard Waste on or about April 15th, weather depending. Late season snowfall can delay collection start.

The Department of General Services stops collecting Yard Waste on or about November 15th, weather depending. Early snowfall can shorten the collection season.

Although Yard Waste is only collected once weekly you may place it curbside at any time without being issued a penalty.

Residents are required to place their yard waste in biodegradable paper bags for collection. Residents are however free to purchase bags anywhere as long as they are made of biodegradeable paper. For your convience the city of Albany does sell biodegradable paper bags at the following locations:

1. Department of General Services 7:00 am – 5:00 pm (M-F)
    One Richard J. Conner’s Blvd. (518-434-2489)

2. Capital Hills Golf Course 9:00 am – 5:00 pm (M-F) &

     8:00 am – 4:00 pm (Sat-Sun) * Open Seasonally
     65 O’Neil Road (518-489-3526)

3. Treasurer’s Office 8:30 am – 5:00 pm (M-F)
     City Hall (518-434-5035)

4. Recreation Department - Select Saturday's in the Spring & Fall.
     7 Hoffman Avenue (518-434-5699)

Cost: 2 for $1.00

Hazardous waste is materials that are considered hazardous and should never be placed in the regular trash. Since these items are not allowed to be placed curbside for normal collection the City of Albany sponsors several Household Hazardous Waste Drop off Events in the spring and fall. To learn more about what is accepted, what dates are scheduled or to register click here.