Trash, bulk pickup & dump guide for Elizabeth, NJ
Bulk pickup schedules, landfill hours and fees, and hazardous waste drop-offs for Elizabeth residents — from official city and county sources.
- Twice weekly by ward: Mon & Thu for 1st/2nd/3rd Wards; Tue & Fri for 4th/5th/6th Wards — containers at the curb the night before, after 6pm
- City of Elizabeth — Department of Public Works
At a glance: Elizabeth
- Trash day
- Twice weekly by ward: Mon & Thu for 1st/2nd/3rd Wards; Tue & Fri for 4th/5th/6th Wards — containers at the curb the night before, after 6pm
- Hazardous waste
- No permanent HHW facility in Union County. Union County runs free drive-up HHW events four times a year, 9am–2pm, rain or shine, for Union County residents only. 2026 schedule: Sat Apr 25 (UC VoTech, 1776 Raritan Rd, Scotch Plains); Sun Jun 7 (UCNJ, 1033 Springfield Ave, Cranford); Sat Aug 8 (Kean University, 1000 Morris Ave, Union); Sun Oct 25 (UC VoTech, 1776 Raritan Rd, Scotch Plains). Next date: Sun Oct 25, 2026. Details: ucnj.org/recycling or 908-654-9889.
Regular trash day
- Schedule
- Twice weekly by ward: Mon & Thu for 1st/2nd/3rd Wards; Tue & Fri for 4th/5th/6th Wards — containers at the curb the night before, after 6pm
Bulk & large-item pickup
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Landfills, transfer stations & drop-offs
No public dump published by Elizabeth — use a neighboring county facility or a private transfer station.
Household hazardous waste
No permanent HHW facility in Union County. Union County runs free drive-up HHW events four times a year, 9am–2pm, rain or shine, for Union County residents only. 2026 schedule: Sat Apr 25 (UC VoTech, 1776 Raritan Rd, Scotch Plains); Sun Jun 7 (UCNJ, 1033 Springfield Ave, Cranford); Sat Aug 8 (Kean University, 1000 Morris Ave, Union); Sun Oct 25 (UC VoTech, 1776 Raritan Rd, Scotch Plains). Next date: Sun Oct 25, 2026. Details: ucnj.org/recycling or 908-654-9889.
Accepted
- aerosol cans
- antifreeze
- batteries
- caustics
- corrosives and cleaners
- fire extinguishers
- fluorescent bulbs (unbroken)
- gasoline
- mercury switches
- motor oil and oil filters
- oil-based paints and varnishes
- pesticides and herbicides
- propane tanks
- pool chemicals
- smoke detectors
- thermostats
- tires (automobile, motorcycle, bicycle)
Not accepted
- latex (water-based) paint
- alkaline batteries
- unknown/unlabeled containers
- empty containers
- containers larger than 5 gallons
- pressurized gas (welding gas/oxygen)
Yard waste
E-waste
Elizabeth publishes little machine-readable waste info; its Garbage & Recycling Calendar page (elizabethnj.org/288) links the full calendar as an image and no separate bulk/bulky-waste rules were found on official pages — bulk fields left empty rather than guessed; residents should call Public Works (908-820-4101). Trash ward schedule per the city-published garbage & recycling calendar (as reflected in city DPW materials): two garbage days — Mon & Thu for 1st/2nd/3rd Wards, Tue & Fri for 4th/5th/6th Wards, containers curbside after 6pm the night before. The city also operates a Recycling Center open 7 days a week for special recyclables per city materials. No resident-facing public landfill/transfer station found; the WM Julia Street transfer station is commercial/private.
Frequently asked questions
- When is trash day in Elizabeth, NJ?
- Twice weekly by ward: Mon & Thu for 1st/2nd/3rd Wards; Tue & Fri for 4th/5th/6th Wards — containers at the curb the night before, after 6pm
- Where do I take hazardous waste in Elizabeth?
- No permanent HHW facility in Union County. Union County runs free drive-up HHW events four times a year, 9am–2pm, rain or shine, for Union County residents only. 2026 schedule: Sat Apr 25 (UC VoTech, 1776 Raritan Rd, Scotch Plains); Sun Jun 7 (UCNJ, 1033 Springfield Ave, Cranford); Sat Aug 8 (Kean University, 1000 Morris Ave, Union); Sun Oct 25 (UC VoTech, 1776 Raritan Rd, Scotch Plains). Next date: Sun Oct 25, 2026. Details: ucnj.org/recycling or 908-654-9889.