City of Syracuse to Begin Issuing Citations for Cart Violations

Published on January 03, 2025

City Department of Public Works will also resume issuing trash cart citations.

The City of Syracuse Department of Public Works (DPW) announced it will start issuing citations beginning Monday, Jan. 6 to property owners who do not follow setout requirements for recycling carts and resume citations for trash carts. Fines are $100 for households that fail to correct violations after receiving a citation.

Following implementation of uniform recycling carts citywide in the Fall of 2024, DPW crews issued warning notices without citations or fines at properties that did not follow setout requirements. According to DPW, the most common mistakes include placing trash in recycling bins, bagging recyclables, and failing to break down large cardboard boxes.

As of January 6, DPW will not pick up trash and recycling that are improperly set out, and crews will issue a citation notice. Property owners will have 24 hours to pull back their setout to avoid having to pay the fine. The trash and recycling can be set out properly for pickup the following week for trash and appropriate week for recycling. Excess trash and recycling can also be transported to an Onondaga County Resource Recovery Agency drop-off site. Locations and fee information for OCRRA drop-off site can be found at ocrra.org.

"Most properties are adhering to the setout requirements, and we appreciate how quickly residents have adapted to the cart program," said Jeremy Robinson, DPW Commissioner. "Our goal is not to issue citations or impose fines, so we encourage residents to review the informational materials provided with the carts or available at syr.gov/Trash-and-Recycling."

Fines continue to be $350 related to a health and sanitation violations.

• Trash is picked up weekly. To check your trash day, residents can visit syr.gov/Trash-and-Recycling
• Do place only bagged waste in your carts. Unbagged materials are unacceptable.
• Do securely close the cart lid to prevent litter and scavenging.
• On your regular collection day, place your cart at the end of your driveway or in front of your house between the sidewalk and street.
• Call Cityline at 315-448-CITY (2489) if you have an item that does not fit in your cart.
• Don’t place recyclables in your trash cart.

• Recycling is picked up biweekly. To check your recycling week, residents can visit syr.gov/Trash-and-Recycling.
• Place only unbagged materials in your recycling carts. Bagged materials will not be collected.
• Do securely close the cart lid to prevent litter and scavenging.
• On your designated recycling week, place your cart at the end of your driveway or in front of your house between the sidewalk and street on your regular collection day.
• Recyclable materials include paper, flattened cardboard and food boxes, metal cans, milk and juice jugs, glass jars and bottles, and plastic bottles and tubs. Learn more about recycling at ocrra.org/recycle
• Call Cityline at 315-448-CITY (2489) if you have an item that does not fit in your cart to request a bulk pickup.
• Don’t place trash in your recycling cart.