Garbage Day

The rules of Garbage Day are unwritten, which causes frustrated questions at neighborhood meetings, even from long-time residents. In response to an e-mail inquiry, I asked for more info at City Hall.

Trash: Call the Solid Waste Dept. at 462-9616 to ask when pick-up is at your address. There are no guidelines based on wards or streets. A trash can is not required, but will protect bags from crows, dogs, etc. Monday holidays may push back pickup a day.

Lawn Waste: We were told "Thursdays" in the North End meetings, but according to City Hall, paper leaf bags are not picked up on any particular day. They send someone out when the bags start to accumulate. [UPDATE 9/10/09 - pickup in the North End will be Wednesdays, "guaranteed"]

Bulk Pickup: You must call the Solid Waste Dept. at 462-9616 on a Monday to schedule collection of items too large for regular garbage. Put the items out on Thursday - they'll get them on Friday. When I did this, they said that all the items must fit in the bed of an ordinary pick-up truck. If you have more than than this, or can't haul it to the curb, I'd recommend 1-800-GOT-JUNK.
UPDATE: See Comments for more good info. on bulk pickup.

Recycling: Get a blue bin from the Solid Waste Dept. Put your plastics (any numbers) and glass in the bottom. Paper and cardboard can go in paper bags or be bundled.

Electronics Recycling: We have one annual disposal opportunity in April at Taft Furniture in Albany. City Hall will have coupons. Until then, try eLot Recycling in Troy. They also take batteries and compact fluorescent bulbs.

Household Hazardous Waste: No collection. We're outside their region, but I was able to pay to use the Eastern Rensselaer County Solid Waste Management Authority. They do collections twice a year.

Rensselaer does not have a web site, and they should. You can't find phone numbers for the City online, except in the County Services Directory. (I extracted and OCR'd the City of Rensselaer 2009 Directory.) If you take time out of your work day to call or visit City Hall for basic info that should be online, please request a web page.