Recycling & Composting
Collection is an included residential service paid for with local property taxes and provided through a shared-services agreement with the Morris County Municipal Utilities Authority. Recycling collection occurs every other Friday, according to the schedule below. To ensure pickup, recyclables should be placed curbside the night before or before 5:00 AM. For recycling updates and information, or in the event of inclement weather, please visit www.mcmua.com
| 2025 SCHEDULE | |
| January 3, 17, 31 | July 2, 18 |
| February 14, 28 | August 1, 15, 29 |
| March 14, 28 | September 12, 26 |
| April 11, 25 | October 10, 24 |
| May 9, 23 | November 7, 21 |
| June 6, 20 | December 5, 19 |
Condominium/Townhouse Resident?
Contact your management company for recycling information.
Recyclables not picked up?
Call the Morris County MUA at 973-659-3490 and leave a message before 10:00 AM the Monday immediately following the Friday collection. Leave your name, phone #, address, town and items not picked up.
| CURBSIDE DO’s | CURBSIDE DON’Ts |
|
|
ACCEPTABLE CURBSIDE RECYCLING
• Office paper, file folders, junk mail, envelopes, flyers, newspapers and inserts, magazines, catalogs, paperbacks, phone books, wrapping paper, paper bags, tissue and cookie boxes, paper towel and toilet paper cores, frozen food boxes, cartons and boxes, flattened cardboard
• Plastic containers (bottles and non-bottles) 8 oz or larger coded 1 PETE, 2 HDPE, 5PP
• Caps and lids larger than 3” in diameter
• Aluminum and steel (tin) cans, loose metal jar lids, steel bottle caps, clean aluminum foil, pie plates and trays
• Glass bottles and jars with caps and lids removed
UNACCEPTABLE CURBSIDE RECYCLING
Consult with your private trash hauler for pick-up options.
• Plastics coded 3 V, 4 LDPE, 6 PS, 7 OTHER
• Small plastic lids/bottle caps
• Containers smaller than 8 oz
• Plastic bags, Shrink/bubble wrap, packing pillows
• Plastic utensils
• Plastic & Wire Hangers
• Flower Pots
• Syringes/Needles
• Batteries & Electronics
• Concrete, asphalt, tires
• Greasy pizza/food boxes
• Bulky Waste/Furniture
• Household Glass (Mirrors, tabletops, vases, windows, dishes, etc.)
• Appliances/White Goods/Microwaves
• Christmas Trees
HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS & SPECIAL WASTE
The Morris County Municipal Utilities Authority operates a year-round household hazardous waste (HHW) facility and several disposal events at differing locations. Using the facility is free of charge to residents dropping off HHW. Drop-offs are either by appointment or on scheduled event days. The materials below have special disposal guidelines that can be found on the MCMUA website at www.mcmua.com/hazardouswaste
sives | Medical Waste | Fluorescents |
Aerosols | Mercury | Gasoline |
Antifreeze | Motor Oil & Filters | Photo Chemicals |
Appliances (CFCs) | Muriatic Acid (HCl) | Pool Chemicals |
Art & Crafts | Paints & Stains | Propane |
Asbestos | Pesticides | Rock Salt |
Batteries (Auto & Boat) | Compressed Gas Cylinders | Smoke Detectors |
Batteries (Dry Cell) | Driveway Sealer | Solvents |
Cell Phones | Electronics | Wood (Lead Paint) |
Kerosene | Fire Extinguishers |
If you have questions, call the MCMUA at (973) 285-8394. For materials that are not accepted elsewhere or not listed, please check the MCMUA Materials Guide at www.mcmua.com/materials.asp
BATTERIES
Do not dispose batteries in your trash or recycling bin. Batteries contain toxic heavy metals and should be disposed of properly. Some batteries have the potential to explode. The batteries listed below may be dropped off at the Department of Public Works during regular business hours. Click here for more information.
- AA, AAA, C, D, 9V, phone, camera, power tools, 11 lbs or smaller
- Rechargeable Batteries (Lithium, Lithium Ion, Nickel-metal hydride, Nickle-cadmium)
- Alkaline, Zinc Air, Zinc Carbon Batteries
- “L” Button Cell Batteries (Lithium, Alkaline) Identification numbers that start with “L”
The batteries listed below are household hazardous waste. Refer to the MCMUA website for disposal.
- “S” Button Cell Batteries (Silver Oxide)
- Lead-Acid Batteries (Car & Boat)
STYROFOAM (POLYSTYRENE #6)
Through a shared-services agreement, residents can recycle their clean, white Styrofoam (only polystyrene #6) by drop-off at the Borough of Madison Recycling Center located on Station Rd.
- Only EPS (expanded polystyrene) foam (Styrofoam) is accepted. This includes EPS foam, rigid packaging, and Styrofoam boxes.
- XPS (extruded polystyrene) foam is NOT accepted. This includes food service foam, colored foam, meat trays, packing peanuts/foam, and foam cups.
- Must be clean from dirt, dust, and paint.
- Remove all tape, stickers, cardboard, glue, and labels.
TANGLEWOOD LANE RECYCLING DEPOT
The Tanglewood Lane Recycling Depot located at the end of Tanglewood Lane can be utilized by residents to drop-off the materials below, in addition to any materials that are acceptable for curbside pickup. The materials below may not be placed curbside for collection, only for drop-off.
DROP-OFF ONLY! NO CURBSIDE COLLECTION
- Clothing (not loose, must be in plastic bags)
- Latex Paint (add kitty litter or speedy dry to partially full cans, stir and let dry completely, replace lid and drop off)
- Large, Rigid Plastics (large toys, laundry baskets, soda and milk crates, pet carriers, buckets (remove metal), storage containers, garbage & recycling containers, empty & dry plastic paint cans, plastic outdoor furniture (without PVC pipes)
- Christmas Trees
TANGLEWOOD LANE COMPOST FACILITY
Chatham Township offers residents the option and convenience of dropping off compostable yard waste at the Tanglewood Lane Compost Area. Curbside pick-up is not provided. For your convenience, “compost permits” will no longer be issued and are not necessary to utilize the facility. Instead, a valid, government-issued identification showing proof of residence must be presented to enter.
This service is available to residents only utilizing a car or pick-up truck for drop-off. If you intend to use a truck larger than a pick-up truck, owned or borrowed, you must schedule the drop-off by calling the Department of Public Works and providing a description of the vehicle and the license plate number.
ACCEPTABLE MATERIALS
Grass Clippings, Leaves, Branches
UNACCEPTABLE MATERIALS
Stumps, Building Materials, Rocks & Stones, Bio-degradable Bags, Railroad Ties, Concrete, Firewood, Planters and Plastic Bags
- Whatever type of container/bag you transport organic material in, you must take back with you after unloading.
- Leaves and grass must be separated and loaded in the designated area.
- Branches must be separated from leaves and grass and placed in the brush pile.
- Branches must be no larger than 4 inches in diameter and 8 feet in length.
The inclusion of non-acceptable materials leads to severe damage to expensive equipment used for the shredding of compost material and potential danger of physical harm to the compost operators.
Landscapers must contact the Department of Public Works for purchase of compost permits at 973-377-5114. Compost is open to landscapers beginning April 1, 2025.
RECYCLE COACH APP
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection has facilitated a free, easy-to-use, online platform and mobile called “Recycle Coach”.
Contact Information
405 Southern Boulevard
Chatham, New Jersey 07928