Schools Setout

We collect trash, recyclables, and composable material for all K-12 New York City Public Schools (NYCPS) and for some charter schools.

Setout Rules

Trash

• Use CLEAR 13- to 55-gallon capacity bags
• Trash must be set out in NYC Bins and/or tilt trucks
• Do not put trash bins, tilt trucks, or large items like furniture in the street

Recycling

• Use CLEAR 13- to 55-gallon capacity bags
• Group bags of metal, glass, plastic, and cartons together at the curb
• Group bags of paper and bundles of cardboard together at the curb
• Flatten and tie up cardboard in bundles no more than 18" high.
• Empty food and liquids from containers before recycling

Curbside Composting

• Use your DSNY brown bin or tilt truck
• Line bins with CLEAR bags to keep them clean
• Do not place bags of food at the curb

Large Items

• Recycling: Set out up to 10 items per recycling collection day, of bulk items that are mostly metal and/or rigid plastic on your metal/glass/plastic recycling day.
• Trash: Set out up to 10 pieces of large wood and non-recyclable materials per trash collection day for curbside trash collection.

NOTE: Refer to the "Bulk Material Service Options" section of the NYCPS/DSNY Communication Protocol for donations and emergency large item collection.

Setout Schedule

All public schools in NYC receive daily DSNY collection. Download the DSNY setout schedule for NYC schools.

Set out materials curbside after 3:00 PM and before 7:00 PM, according to the schedule below: 

• Curbside Composting: Every weekday, Monday - Friday
• Mixed Paper & Cardboard: Monday, Wednesday, Friday
• Metal, Glass, Plastic, and Cartons: Tuesday, Thursday
• Trash: Collected on the neighborhood schedule

DSNY collection for schools begins at 7:00 PM on your setout day, with exception to trash that is collected on the neighborhood route.

Find your collection schedule for trash collection

If your school hosts a night or weekend event, waste material must be stored until 3:00 PM on the next collection day.

Neighborhood Collection

If your school is NOT on a daily collection schedule, your recycling and trash are collected on the same days as your local neighborhood. Set out recycling and trash AFTER 3:00 PM the night before collection.