Trash & Recycling

Trash + Recycling on the Barrier Beach.

Proper waste management keeps our waterways clean, protects wildlife, and preserves the beauty of our shoreline.

Know your neighborhood’s pickup days and seasonal collection schedule. Secure all trash and recycling bins tightly — high winds can scatter debris into the dunes and bay. Please dispose of bulky items and yard waste according to local guidelines, and recycle when possible. A clean beach starts with each of us doing our part.
Mind your Trash

In the Town of Babylon, proper trash disposal and securing bins are vital for public health and protecting the local marine environment and wildlife. Unsecured garbage can lead to pollution that harms the nearby ocean and estuary, which is why residents must follow specific town guidelines and best practices.

Town of Babylon Trash & Recycling Guidelines

Garbage collection services in the Town of Babylon are provided by EnCon Industries Corp.

General Trash Collection: Occurs twice a week on Mondays and Thursdays.

Recycling Collection: Pick-up is on Wednesdays and alternates weekly between commingled items (bottles, cans, plastics) and paper/cardboard. A complete Recycling Calendar is mailed annually and available online for detailed schedules.

Yard Waste Collection Schedule: Yard waste is picked up every Wednesday, year-round.

Placement and Timing: Items should be placed at the curb the night before collection, but no earlier than 1:00 PM the day prior to prevent materials from sitting out for extended periods.

Contact Information: For any questions, contact EnCon at (631) 491-3200 or the Town of Babylon Department of Environmental Control at (631) 249-9346.

Properly containing your trash is essential in a community close to the ocean and estuary. Marine debris often originates from poorly managed land-based trash, and wind or rain can carry loose garbage into local waterways, impacting marine life. Raccoons and other wildlife are strong, clever scavengers drawn by the scent of discarded food. 

Best Practices for Securing Bins:

Use Secure Lids: Always ensure your trash can lids are tightly sealed. The Town code specifies that receptacles should be watertight and kept covered.

Minimize Attraction: Double-bag your food waste to diminish odors that attract animals. Do not store materials at the curb except on collection day.

Time Placement: Only put your trash bins at the curb shortly before the scheduled pickup time (after 1:00 PM the day prior) to reduce the window of opportunity for wildlife interference. 

Employ Deterrents:

–Bungee Cords: Stretch a strong rubber bungee cord over the top of the lid and attach it to the handles on either side. Note that automated collection systems may require different clip solutions that the collectors can easily open.

–Commercial Locks: Specialized “critter clips” or metal universal lid locks are available that can secure hinged-lid cans against determined animals.

A Note on Odor Repellents:

Raccoons have aversions to certain scents. Pouring a small amount of ammonia or vinegar on the garbage inside the bag or sprinkling cayenne pepper flakes on top of the trash can effectively deter them.

Although this measure may be effective initially, their effectiveness is limited. The odors can fade quickly (especially after rain), requiring frequent reapplication. Raccoons are also intelligent and can quickly become accustomed to the scents or learn to work around them if an easy food source is present. 

Safety Warning: Both ammonia and cayenne pepper can be irritants to humans and pets. Ammonia should not be mixed with other cleaning chemicals (especially bleach, which creates toxic gas) and should be used with care to avoid contact with children, pets, and plants.

Professional wildlife experts often note that physical barriers and eliminating food sources are more reliable long-term solutions.

For items that cannot go in regular curbside bins, the Town provides specific guidelines and facilities. The primary drop-off location is the Residential Recycling Center at 57 Field Street, West Babylon, NY.

For detailed information on any of these services, residents are encouraged to consult the annual Town of Babylon Recycling Calendar or call the Department of Environmental Control at (631) 249-9346.

Town of Babylon Yard Waste Disposal

The Town provides curbside collection for typical yard debris like grass clippings, leaves, and branches. Preparation:

– Containers: Use standard 33-gallon garbage cans for grass clippings and leaves. Containers must have handles, lids, and weigh less than 50 lbs when full. Do not use plastic bags (except biodegradable paper bags) or the recycling bins.

– Bundling Branches: Branches must be tied securely into bundles no longer than 4 feet in length and 1 foot in diameter.Weight Limit: Bundles and containers must weigh less than 50 lbs.

Large Items and “White Goods“

One item of furniture (e.g., a couch, mattress set, dresser, or rolled/tied rug sections) can be placed at the curb with each regular garbage pickup.

“White Goods” (Appliances): Large metal appliances like refrigerators, washers, dryers, dishwashers, and air conditioners require a special, pre-scheduled pickup. You must call the collection contractor, EnCon Industries, at (631) 491-3200 by Friday for pickup the following Wednesday.

E-Waste (Electronic Waste)

New York State law requires consumers to recycle many electronic items in an environmentally responsible manner. E-waste should not be put in regular trash or recycling bins.

Drop-off: Electronics can be dropped off for free at the Residential Recycling Center in West Babylon.

Special Events: The Town occasionally hosts special Shred and E-Waste collection events, often in the spring and fall, providing another convenient disposal option.

Hazardous Waste (S.T.O.P. Program)
Household hazardous wastes (paints, pesticides, automotive fluids, cleaning products, etc.) pose a severe risk of contaminating groundwater and local waterways if disposed of improperly.

– S.T.O.P. Days: The Town organizes specific Stop Throwing Out Pollutants (S.T.O.P.) collection days, typically twice a year (April and October).


– Location: These free events are held at the Residential Recycling Center (57 Field Street, West Babylon) from 8:00 AM to 2:30 PM.

The Town offers a simple disposal method for Christmas trees after the holiday season.

– Curbside Collection: Clean, natural Christmas trees (no artificial trees) are collected curbside during the first two weeks of January. Preparation:
– Remove All Decorations: Ensure all lights, ornaments, tinsel, plastic bags, stands, and wires are completely removed from the tree.
– Placement: Simply place the bare tree at the curb on any of your two regular garbage collection days during the designated pickup period.
– Alternative: Trees can also be brought directly to the Residential Recycling Center at 57 Field Street, West Babylon, NY.

Do Not Put Your Christmas Trees in the Dunes!
It is strongly discouraged to place Christmas trees in the dunes on the barrier island or anywhere along the coast, even though it might seem like a way to prevent erosion. This practice, while sometimes well-intentioned, is prohibited by local regulations and can cause significant harm to the fragile dune ecosystem. 

Why Christmas Trees Should Not Be Placed in Dunes:
Non-Native Debris and Pollution: Christmas trees, even natural ones, are considered solid waste or debris once they are discarded. When washed away by tides or strong winds, they become marine debris, polluting the ocean and estuary. This refuse can entangle wildlife, wash up on other beaches, and disrupt the natural landscape. It can also cause hazards to boaters, obstructing our navigable channels and increasing accumulation of sediments, causing dredging needs. 

– Fire Hazard: Dry, discarded Christmas trees are highly flammable. In the hot, dry summer months, a dune filled with dry evergreen trees poses a significant fire risk in a sensitive area like Fire Island, where quick fire spread is a major concern.

– Disruption of the Dune Ecosystem: The specific composition of a Christmas tree—even after it dries out—does not integrate naturally with the native dune vegetation (like American Beach Grass) that is specifically adapted to the harsh, sandy environment.

– Wildlife Hazards: The trees can create unnatural obstacles and potential traps for local wildlife, or attract pests and insects that are not beneficial to the dune system.

– Ineffective Erosion Control: While dunes are vital for storm protection, using Christmas trees for erosion control is largely ineffective and often counterproductive. They decompose too quickly and do not offer the stable, long-term root structure that native grasses provide to anchor the sand. 


The Correct Approach:
Dune restoration and protection rely on careful management using native vegetation and approved structural measures. 
For responsible disposal, residents in the Town of Babylon should utilize the authorized curbside pickup service during the first two weeks of January or drop trees off at the Residential Recycling Center, ensuring all ornaments and lights are removed first. This ensures they are properly composted or disposed of in an environmentally sound manner, protecting the vital coastal environment of Fire Island and surrounding areas.

Dumping yard waste in natural areas, such as woods, wetlands, or dunes, is a common but harmful practice that is strongly discouraged by environmental experts and often prohibited by local regulations. While organic waste eventually decomposes, introducing it into an ecosystem where it doesn’t naturally occur creates several negative impacts on the local environment and wildlife.

Why Yard Waste Should Not Be Dumped in Natural Areas:

Disruption of Nutrient Balance: Natural ecosystems have evolved specific nutrient cycles. Yard waste, which is often rich in nutrients from fertilizer or decomposition, can drastically alter the soil chemistry. This influx of nutrients can promote the excessive growth of opportunistic, non-native plants and harm native species that are adapted to lower-nutrient environments.

– Introduction of Invasive Species: A significant risk of dumping yard waste is the introduction of invasive plant species. Clippings or seeds from garden plants can easily spread, establish themselves in the new habitat, and outcompete native vegetation, leading to a monoculture that reduces local biodiversity.


– Wildlife Hazards and Attraction of Pests: Piles of yard waste create unnatural habitats that can harbor rodents and other pests not typically found in the area. Furthermore, the waste can attract wildlife away from their natural food sources and into potentially hazardous areas (like roadsides or residential properties), disrupting their normal behavior and diet.


– Smothering Native Vegetation: Large piles of grass clippings or leaves can smother existing native ground cover and saplings, blocking sunlight and oxygen exchange to the soil and stunting the growth of important stabilizing vegetation, such as dune grasses.


– Pollution and Water Quality Issues: If dumped near waterways or on slopes, yard waste can be washed into streams, estuaries, or the ocean during rainstorms. This debris contributes to marine pollution, and its decomposition can lower oxygen levels in the water (eutrophication), harming fish and other aquatic life.

By utilizing local composting programs or municipal yard waste collection services, residents ensure that organic waste is processed responsibly without harming the delicate natural balance of local ecosystems.

Helpful Links

Town of Babylon Garbage Collection

Town of Babylon Recycling Calendar

Residential Recycling Center