Collection Information

Curbside Collection

Cans (max. size 45 gallons) or bags of household garbage, may not weigh more than 75 pounds each. Place at the curb prior to 5 am on your regular collection day and no earlier than 7 pm the night before. Do not use cardboard boxes to contain refuse. If you are not sure of your regular household refuse pickup schedule, please call the Sanitation Department at 516-378-4210.

Homeowner Disposal Area

The Sanitation Department's Homeowner Disposal Area, located at 1600 Merrick Road, Merrick is open Monday through Friday, from 9 am to 3 pm, and Saturday and Sunday, from 8 am to 3:30 pm, except Town of Hempstead observed holidays (Please review the Holiday Collection Schedule for a listing of holidays observed by the Town of Hempstead).

All residents will be asked to provide proof of residency, such as a driver's license or a tax bill. The Homeowner Disposal Area is available to residents of unincorporated areas (except residents of Sanitation District 1) of the town. It is not available to residents of incorporated villages (except Hempstead and Freeport Villages).

Materials must be brought in non-commercial vehicles. Each vehicle is limited to one trip per day to the Homeowner Disposal Area.  All vehicles towing trailers of any size will be required to pay commercial disposal rates.  

  • Pickup trucks are to adhere to the following: must have a cap or be stacked no higher than the height and depth of the truck bed, and cannot have a toolbox mounted to the truck bed. 
  • Vans must adhere to the following: must have a backseat installed, a side door with windows, no top racks, no interior doors separating the driver area from the cargo area, no shelving, mounted corkboards, etc. 

No medical or hazardous waste is allowed. For all questions and concerns regarding our Homeowner Disposal Area, please contact us at 516-378-4210, Option #8.

Waste accepted at the Homeowner Disposal Area includes:

AppliancesMetal 
BatteriesNon-burnable items
Electronics: Town of Hempstead residents, including residents of incorporated villages within the township, are permitted to bring electronic waste (e-cycle items) to the Homeowner Disposal Area.Compost: leaves, trees, grass, shrubs, etc. are limited to three bags or two 32-gallon cans per trip.
FurnitureTires
Latex and water-based paint (see S.T.O.P. Program for oil-based paint)Construction and demolition debris must be bundled, bagged, or in cans. 
Propane tanks(20-pound tank maximum). When transporting tanks, tighten valves securely. Do not transport propane tanks in car trunks.Stone material: cement, concrete, bricks (no dirt accepted), and other masonry materials are limited to two 32-gallon cans per trip.
Automobile parts including vehicle frame parts, crankcases, transmissions, engines (drained), etc. will be accepted at the Homeowner Disposal Area or collected by Special Pickup for metal recycling.Waste oil: a limit of five gallons of oil may be delivered to the Homeowner Disposal Area per visit. Per New York State law, waste oil may be brought to your local service station.
Recyclables including plastics marked with numbers 1 and 2, cans, glass, cardboard, and paper are accepted at the Homeowner Disposal Area.


Recycling 

See details on how to recycle plastics, cans, glass, paper, and cardboard.

Household Hazardous Waste

Safely dispose of the many hazardous materials found in the average home at a S.T.O.P.  program event.

E-cycling 

Safely dispose of electronic waste and protect the environment by keeping toxic materials, such as lead, mercury, cadmium, and arsenic from entering the waste stream.

Shredding Program

Shred your private documents securely at a shredding event.

Yard Waste and Christmas Tree Collection

See details on the collection of grass, leaves, tree stumps and branches, and Christmas trees and wreaths.

Clean-Up Days

Take advance of special opportunities to place rubbish and other items out for curbside pickup. 

Special Pickup

View a list of Special Pickup items and instructions for requesting a Special Pickup. 

Pharmaceutical Disposal

Unused pharmaceuticals are no longer collected by the Town of Hempstead Department of Sanitation. Information about the safe disposal of unused medicines can be found at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and/or by using the Drug Enforcement Administration's Controlled Substance Public Disposal search tool.

Bedding Collection

See procedures for the collection of bedding.

Rev 12/7/22