Fort Lee, NJ — Mandatory Recycling + Resident Electronics Drop-Off + Bergen County HHW Resources
Fort Lee recycling compliance:
New Jersey's
Statewide Mandatory Source Separation and Recycling Act,
N.J.S.A. 13:1E-99.11 et seq. (SSRA)
establishes the statewide mandatory recycling framework.
Fort Lee implements local source-separation requirements through Borough Code Article V,
which requires owners, lessees and occupants of property in Fort Lee to separate
the recyclable materials designated by §356-23 from other solid waste.
[2][10]
For resident electronics, the
Fort Lee Department of Public Works — 530 Jane Street
provides a specifically authorized electronics/computer drop-off option.
The Borough expressly states that this facility is not a general “recycling center.”
[1]
Covered electronic devices are also subject to New Jersey’s e-waste requirements and should not be placed
into the ordinary solid-waste stream where the statutory disposal prohibition applies.
[3][4]
Statewide legal foundation: New Jersey's Statewide Mandatory Source Separation and Recycling Act (SSRA) establishes the State's mandatory recycling framework. The Act requires county recycling planning and municipal recycling-program implementation centered on source separation and recovery of designated recyclable materials. [10]
Municipal implementation: N.J.S.A. 13:1E-99.16 requires each municipality to establish and implement a municipal recycling program. For Fort Lee properties, the statewide SSRA should therefore be read together with the Bergen County recycling framework and Fort Lee Article V, including §356-23 designated materials and §356-24 mandatory source separation. [2][10]
Multifamily significance: Apartment and high-rise communities should maintain a property-approved collection system that allows applicable designated recyclables to remain separated from ordinary solid waste and routes those materials through the property's lawful municipal or private collection arrangement. Private hauling does not make source separation optional.
Important limitation: The SSRA does not itself create a universal daily trash or recycling pickup frequency and does not convert resident-only municipal or County drop-off programs into commercial/property-management disposal facilities. Property managers should apply the State Act together with current Borough, County, NJDEP and authorized-hauler requirements.
Fort Lee DPW: Authorized Electronics Drop-Off — Not a General Recycling Center
Important operating distinction:
Fort Lee DPW specifically advises residents that the facility at
530 Jane Street is not a general recycling center.
[1]
Electronics and computers:
The Borough currently authorizes electronics/computers to be brought to the DPW facility.
Its published instructions expressly exclude
appliances, air conditioners, vacuums and microwaves
from that electronics drop-off program.
[1][7]
Rechargeable batteries:
Fort Lee also identifies a rechargeable-battery recycling bin next to the electronics bin.
The Borough states that this bin is for
rechargeable batteries only and that other battery types are not permitted in that bin.
[7]
No general dumping:
Fort Lee prohibits dumping trash, ordinary recycling or unapproved items at DPW or other Borough property.
The electronics/computer and rechargeable-battery programs are specific authorized exceptions and should
not be interpreted as permission to transport general apartment-community recycling or waste to the DPW yard.
[1][7]
- Facility: Fort Lee Department of Public Works [1]
- Address: 530 Jane Street, Fort Lee, NJ 07024 [1][6]
- Published DPW Hours: Monday–Friday 7:00 AM–3:30 PM [1][6]
- DPW Phone: 201-592-3632 [1]
- Authorized electronics pathway: Electronics/computers under the Borough’s published program; confirm current eligibility before transport. [1][4]
- Not accepted through electronics drop-off: Appliances, A/C units, vacuums and microwaves. [1]
- Sanitation / Recycling Hauler: Interstate Waste Services (IWS) — 866-342-5497. [1][7]
Mandatory Recycling / Source Separation — Fort Lee Code §§356-23 & 356-24
New Jersey statewide baseline:
The Statewide Mandatory Source Separation and Recycling Act,
N.J.S.A. 13:1E-99.11 et seq. establishes New Jersey's statewide mandatory recycling framework.
Municipal recycling programs implement that framework locally.
[10]
Fort Lee local mandate:
Fort Lee Code §356-24 requires
owners, lessees and occupants of property
in the Borough to separate the recyclable materials designated by §356-23 from all other solid waste.
[2]
Designated materials:
§356-23 includes categories such as newspapers/magazines, corrugated cardboard, glass, aluminum,
white goods, used motor oil, ferrous scrap metal, tin cans, high-grade paper, mixed paper,
construction/demolition debris and Type 1 and 2 plastic containers, among other specifically
designated materials.
[2]
Important property-manager distinction:
A material being designated as recyclable under the Borough Code does
not mean that the material may automatically be brought to the Jane Street DPW facility.
The Borough maintains separate collection or disposition procedures for different material categories.
[1][2]
Apartment/high-rise operations:
Management should maintain a practical property-approved system that allows residents and staff to keep
applicable recycling separate from solid waste consistent with the statewide SSRA and Fort Lee §§356-23 and 356-24.
A particular chute, bin or room configuration should not be described as independently required by the SSRA
or §356-24 unless another applicable code, approval or property condition establishes that requirement.
[2][10]
Fort Lee Recycling Enforcement & Penalties
Enforcement:
Fort Lee Code §356-34 authorizes the
Recycling Coordinator, Department of Health and Police Department
to enforce Article V.
[2]
General Article V recycling penalty:
Under §356-35, a person, firm or corporation violating Article V is subject, at the discretion of the
Municipal Court Judge, to a maximum penalty of
$25 for the first offense and
$100 for each subsequent offense.
[2]
Separate §356-30 offense:
Fort Lee imposes a different maximum penalty for violating §356-30, which addresses ownership and
unauthorized collection of recyclable material after placement for municipal collection.
That offense carries a maximum
$500 fine, imprisonment in the county jail for up to 90 days, or both.
[2]
Property managers should not apply the §356-30 $500 / 90-day provision as the general penalty for every
recycling violation; the Borough Code expressly distinguishes it from the general Article V penalty.
Electronics: New Jersey Covered-Device Requirements
State program:
New Jersey’s Electronic Waste Management Act establishes recycling requirements for
covered electronic devices.
NJDEP currently identifies covered-device categories including televisions, computers, monitors,
laptops/portable computers, desktop printers and desktop fax machines.
[3][5]
Disposal restriction:
Covered devices subject to the statutory disposal prohibition should not be placed into the ordinary
solid-waste stream.
[3][5]
Fort Lee pathway:
NJDEP lists Fort Lee DPW, 530 Jane Street, as a municipal e-waste collection location, while Fort Lee's
own current instructions limit the Jane Street program to electronics/computers and exclude appliances,
A/C units, vacuums and microwaves.
[1][4]
Property-manager caution:
Do not treat a municipal resident electronics program as a general commercial disposal destination
for property-generated electronics. Management should confirm generator eligibility and the current
collection pathway before transporting equipment from common areas, offices or property operations.
White Goods & Appliances: Scheduled Collection — Not DPW Electronics Drop-Off
Separate collection pathway:
Fort Lee's current instructions tell residents to contact
Interstate Waste Services (IWS) at 866-342-5497
to schedule collection of white goods such as
refrigerators, washing machines, dryers, dishwashers, stoves and similar appliances.
[1][7]
Do not bring these items to the DPW electronics bin.
Fort Lee expressly excludes appliances from the Jane Street electronics/computer drop-off program.
[1]
Apartment properties:
The Borough specifically warns that apartment buildings may have
different rules for trash, recycling and bulk disposal.
Residents should therefore follow the community's management-approved procedure, and management should
coordinate white-goods handling with the property's applicable collection provider.
[1][7]
Household Hazardous Waste: Bergen County Resident Events — Not a Commercial Property Disposal Program
Fort Lee pathway:
The Borough directs residents with certain hazardous materials to the
Bergen County Utilities Authority (BCUA)
and its scheduled Household Hazardous Waste events.
[1][8]
Eligibility:
BCUA states that its Household Hazardous Waste Management and Disposal Program is for
Bergen County residents and is designed for
household-generated hazardous waste from private residences.
[8]
Accordingly, these events should be presented to apartment communities as a
resident education/referral resource, not as a disposal destination for commercial,
maintenance, contractor or property-generated hazardous waste.
[8]
2026 BCUA HHW Schedule:
Moonachie — BCUA, 98 Empire Boulevard:
Saturday, March 7, 2026 | Saturday, November 14, 2026
[9]
Mahwah — Campgaw Reservation, 200 Campgaw Road:
Saturday, May 16, 2026 |
Saturday, July 18, 2026 |
Saturday, September 19, 2026
[9]
Paramus — Bergen Community College, 400 Paramus Road:
Sunday, April 19, 2026 |
Sunday, June 7, 2026 |
Sunday, October 18, 2026
[9]
Published event hours:
9:00 AM–3:00 PM, rain or shine.
[9]
Always confirm the current BCUA schedule and accepted-material list before transporting HHW.
Bulk Trash: Fort Lee Resident Rule + Apartment-Property Exception
Published resident rule:
Fort Lee currently states that residents receive a bulk garbage day on the
second garbage pickup day of the week, with a maximum of
two (2) bulk items.
Examples include furniture and mattresses.
[1][7]
Apartment-property qualification:
The Borough expressly states that apartment buildings may have different rules for disposing of
trash, recycling and bulk items and directs apartment residents to check with management.
[1][7]
Property-manager action:
Management should confirm the community's approved bulk-item procedure with its applicable hauler
and Fort Lee DPW before instructing residents to place furniture, mattresses, appliances or other
large items at the curb or at a property collection point.
Paper Shredding: Separate Resident Event Program
Fort Lee separately coordinates resident paper-shredding events rather than treating the DPW yard
as a daily shredding/recycling destination.
The Borough's current 2026 information lists shredding events at the
Fort Lee Recreation Center, 1500 Stillwell Avenue,
with published hours of 9:00 AM–1:00 PM.
Fort Lee states that the program is for
local residents only, requires proof of residency and limits participation to
four bags per household.
[7]
Property Manager Compliance Checklist — Fort Lee Apartments & High-Rises
- Apply the New Jersey statewide SSRA baseline: Treat N.J.S.A. 13:1E-99.11 et seq. as the statewide mandatory source-separation and recycling framework, then apply the Bergen County recycling framework, Fort Lee Article V, NJDEP rules and the property's actual collection arrangement. [10]
- Maintain source separation: Establish a practical property-approved method that keeps designated recyclables separate from solid waste consistent with Fort Lee Code §§356-23 and 356-24. [2]
- Verify the actual apartment collection arrangement: Fort Lee currently identifies IWS as the Borough sanitation/recycling company, but the Borough expressly warns that apartment buildings may have different disposal rules. [1][7]
- Match resident instructions to the property's system: Do not automatically substitute single-family curbside rules for a high-rise or privately managed multifamily collection configuration.
- Keep DPW eligibility narrow: Do not direct residents or property staff to 530 Jane Street for general recycling, appliances, ordinary trash or other materials not authorized by the Borough. [1]
- Separate electronics from appliances: Electronics/computers use the authorized electronics pathway; white goods use the applicable scheduled appliance-collection procedure. [1][7]
- Keep household HHW separate: BCUA HHW events are a Bergen County resident/private-residence program, not a commercial property disposal service. [8]
- Control contamination: Use clear resident instructions, appropriately identified collection points and management follow-up for recurring prohibited-material or contamination problems.
- Document the program: As a management best practice, retain current service-provider information, resident instructions, collection-area photographs and records of significant corrective actions.
- Confirm changes before implementation: Borough collection procedures, accepted materials and event schedules can change. Verify current requirements with Fort Lee DPW / Recycling Coordinator and the property's collection provider before changing the community's program.
How National Doorstep Fits the Fort Lee Compliance Workflow
National Doorstep operates upstream from curbside and off-site hauling.
Our doorstep service moves authorized resident-setout trash and recycling from apartment doors to
property-designated collection containers or collection points on private property,
subject to ownership or authorized management approval.
National Doorstep does not replace or interfere with the property's municipal or privately
contracted off-site waste/recycling hauler.
In Fort Lee apartment and high-rise communities, a properly structured doorstep program can support management
by standardizing resident set-out procedures, helping maintain separation between designated trash and recycling
consistent with the statewide SSRA and Fort Lee Article V, reducing contamination and supporting resident education.
Special-material boundary:
Electronics, appliances, rechargeable batteries, hazardous chemicals, construction debris and other special or
restricted materials should remain outside the ordinary doorstep waste/recycling stream unless property management
establishes a separate lawful and specifically authorized procedure.
National Doorstep does not characterize Fort Lee's resident electronics program or BCUA's resident HHW events
as National Doorstep disposal destinations.
CTA:
Request a Free Compliance Audit for your Fort Lee Property
Compliance note: This page is an operational resource for multifamily property managers and residents and is not legal advice or a Borough determination. Collection procedures, eligible users, accepted materials, event schedules and service-provider requirements can change. Confirm the current New Jersey SSRA framework and current requirements with Fort Lee, BCUA, NJDEP and the property's applicable collection provider before transporting special materials or changing a multifamily waste/recycling program.
EEAT / AUTHORITATIVE ORDINANCE & POLICY SOURCES: [1] Borough of Fort Lee — Department of Public Works (530 Jane Street; not a general recycling center; electronics/computers; white goods; bulk; apartment qualification; IWS) | [2] Fort Lee Code — Article V, Recycling (§356-23 designated materials; §356-24 mandatory separation; §356-34 enforcement; §356-35 penalties) | [3] NJDEP — E-Waste Program (covered electronic devices and current statewide recycling guidance) | [4] NJDEP — E-Waste Collection Sites (Fort Lee DPW, 530 Jane Street; current site information) | [5] New Jersey — Electronic Waste Management Act, P.L. 2008, c.130 | [6] Fort Lee — Public Works & Recycling Staff Directory (address, phone and published DPW hours) | [7] Fort Lee — Garbage Collections, Electronics Recycling & Seasonal Debris (IWS; two-item bulk rule; apartment qualification; white goods; electronics; batteries; HHW; shredding) | [8] Bergen County Utilities Authority — Household Hazardous Waste (Bergen County resident eligibility; household-generated/private-residence limitation) | [9] BCUA — 2026 Household Hazardous Waste Collections (Moonachie, Mahwah and Paramus dates; 9 AM–3 PM hours) | [10] New Jersey Statewide Mandatory Source Separation and Recycling Act — N.J.S.A. 13:1E-99.11 et seq. / P.L.1987, c.102
Fort Lee, Hackensack, Teaneck, Paramus, Englewood, Garfield and Bergen County property owners and community managers: New Jersey requires source separation and recycling of designated materials under the Statewide Mandatory Source Separation and Recycling Act, N.J.S.A. 13:1E-99.11 et seq. (SSRA) . The SSRA establishes the statewide recycling framework, while the Bergen County District Solid Waste Management Plan and municipal recycling ordinances provide the county and local implementation requirements.
National Doorstep’s valet trash and doorstep recycling service is designed to support property-management implementation of applicable recycling requirements, resident education, contamination control and property-approved collection procedures. The property's municipal or privately contracted off-site waste/recycling system remains a separate part of the compliance structure.
- New Jersey statewide baseline: N.J.S.A. 13:1E-99.11 et seq. establishes the Statewide Mandatory Source Separation and Recycling Act. County recycling plans and municipal recycling programs implement the designated-material source-separation framework at the county and local level.
- County baseline: Bergen County identifies a countywide set of residential recyclable materials, while municipalities may designate additional materials or impose additional collection, reporting and property-management duties.
- Municipal rules matter: Fort Lee, Hackensack, Teaneck, Paramus, Englewood and Garfield do not have identical multifamily requirements or penalty structures.
- Material designation ≠ one-container collection: White goods, appliances, heavy iron, C&D debris, motor oil, batteries, electronics, leaves and other special materials may be designated for recycling but require separate lawful handling pathways.
- Private-haul properties: Apartment communities using private collection should confirm the actual recycling stream, reporting requirements and collection provider rules applicable to that municipality.
- Development requirements: Some municipalities impose specific recycling-area or recycling-plan requirements on qualifying new multifamily development or site-plan applications.
New Jersey Statewide Mandatory Source Separation & Recycling Act — SSRA
Statewide legal foundation: New Jersey's N.J.S.A. 13:1E-99.11 et seq. — Statewide Mandatory Source Separation and Recycling Act (P.L.1987, c.102) establishes the State's mandatory recycling framework. The Act requires county recycling planning and municipal recycling-program implementation built around source separation and recovery of designated recyclable materials.
Municipal implementation — N.J.S.A. 13:1E-99.16: each municipality must establish and implement a municipal recycling program. That municipal program operates within the applicable district recycling plan and provides the local mechanism for collection and source separation of designated recyclable materials.
Bergen County multifamily significance: the SSRA is the statewide legal baseline; the Bergen County recycling framework and the applicable municipal ordinance determine the more specific property-level duties. Accordingly, Fort Lee, Hackensack, Teaneck, Paramus, Englewood and Garfield may impose different multifamily container, registration, reporting, development, collection and enforcement requirements even though all operate within the same statewide recycling framework.
Private-haul properties remain within the recycling framework: using a private waste or recycling collector does not make source separation optional. Management should identify the applicable municipal program, designated recyclables, collector/processor specifications and any required municipal reporting or registration.
Important limitation: the SSRA does not create one universal apartment container configuration, one statewide accepted-material bin, or a universal daily recycling pickup requirement. County and municipal implementation rules, property approvals and the authorized collection system remain controlling for day-to-day operations.
Property-manager compliance shortcut:
Step 1 — Apply the New Jersey statewide SSRA baseline. Start with N.J.S.A. 13:1E-99.11 et seq., then identify the applicable Bergen County and municipal implementation requirements.
Step 2 — Identify the municipality. Do not rely only on the Bergen County material list.
Step 3 — Identify the property's actual collection arrangement. Confirm municipal service, private collection, recycling processor specifications and any required municipal registration or reporting.
Step 4 — Separate ordinary doorstep recyclables from special streams. A material can be legally designated for recycling without being eligible for the property's ordinary commingled or doorstep recycling container.
Step 5 — Check development/site-plan conditions. New multifamily construction, renovation and C&D activity can trigger requirements beyond ordinary resident recycling.
At a Glance: New Jersey SSRA → Bergen County → Municipal Requirements
Bergen County — Countywide Recycling Baseline
- Statewide SSRA: N.J.S.A. 13:1E-99.11 et seq. establishes New Jersey's mandatory source-separation and recycling framework.
- Municipal implementation: N.J.S.A. 13:1E-99.16 requires municipalities to establish and implement recycling programs within the applicable district recycling framework.
- Bergen County implementation: Bergen County's official recycling program identifies materials required to be recycled within the County.
- Residential baseline includes: corrugated cardboard, newspaper, glass containers, aluminum containers, heavy iron, leaves, white goods/light iron, steel containers, other paper/magazines/junk mail, grass clippings, PETE #1 and HDPE #2 plastic containers, and concrete/asphalt/brick/block.
- Local expansion: BCUA expressly states that a municipality may require additional materials to be recycled.
- Operational qualification: the County designation does not mean all listed materials belong in one curbside, dumpster-room or valet-recycling stream.
-
County links:
Bergen County Utilities Authority — Recycling
BCUA — What to Recycle in Bergen County
Multifamily Municipal Highlights
- Fort Lee: owners, lessees and occupants must separate designated recyclables; white goods require special arrangements and C&D is owner/contractor responsibility.
- Hackensack: multifamily properties with 4+ units have annual registration and monthly recycling-report requirements.
- Teaneck: owners/operators of multifamily dwellings must establish a recycling program; private recycling arrangements trigger notification and twice-yearly documentation.
- Paramus: proposals for 25+ multifamily units must incorporate recycling provisions; condominiums must provide a separate collection method and submit recycling plans for approval.
- Englewood: owners of residential premises containing 4+ units must provide appropriate recycling containers in locations approved by the Director of Public Works.
- Garfield: new multifamily developments containing 3+ units that require subdivision or site-plan approval must include an indoor or outdoor recycling area meeting §275-10.
Bergen County Designated Materials — Property-Manager Handling Guide
Important: The County designation means these materials must be recycled through an appropriate pathway. It does not mean every material belongs in the same apartment recycling container.
Swipe or scroll horizontally. The material category remains fixed.
| Material Category | County Residential Status | Property-Manager Handling Principle | Doorstep / Ordinary Container? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cardboard / Paper | Corrugated cardboard, newspaper and other paper/magazines/junk mail are County-designated residential recyclables. | Confirm whether the property's recycler requires flattened cardboard separately or accepts it with another paper stream. | Potentially yes, but only if accepted by the property's authorized recycling collection system. |
| Glass / Metal Containers | Glass containers, aluminum containers and steel containers are County-designated recyclables. | Follow the municipality and property's collector instructions regarding preparation and commingling. | Common ordinary recycling stream, subject to provider specifications. |
| #1 / #2 Plastics | PETE #1 and HDPE #2 plastic containers are on the BCUA residential baseline. | Confirm shape, container type, contamination and preparation rules with the municipality/processor. | Common ordinary recycling stream where accepted. |
| White Goods / Light Iron | County-designated recyclable material. | Appliances and bulky metal typically require scheduled, special or private recycling arrangements. | No. Keep outside the normal doorstep bag/container stream. |
| Heavy Iron | County-designated recyclable material. | Use the municipality's or property's authorized metal-recycling pathway. | No. |
| Leaves / Grass | County-designated residential recyclables. | Follow municipal yard-waste schedules and preparation requirements. | No. Separate yard-waste pathway. |
| Concrete / Asphalt / Brick / Block | County-designated residential recyclable materials. | Treat as C&D material. Contractor/property management should arrange lawful recycling through an appropriate facility. | No. Never ordinary doorstep or commingled recycling. |
Bergen County Multifamily Property Manager Information — Key Municipalities
Swipe or scroll horizontally. Municipality remains fixed while the remaining columns slide.
| Municipality | Core Multifamily Duty | Registration / Reporting / Development Trigger | Special Property-Manager Notes | Penalty / Enforcement | Authoritative Links |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Lee | Code §356-24 requires all owners, lessees and occupants to separate the recyclable materials designated in §356-23 from solid waste. | Fort Lee's Recycling Coordinator provides municipal administration. The recycling article is also referred into land-use planning for residential, multifamily, commercial and industrial development proposals under §356-33. |
White goods: special arrangements must be made before curb placement.
C&D: the Borough is not responsible for construction/demolition debris; the owner or contractor is responsible for removal. Do not interpret the designated-material list as authorization to place appliances, motor oil, scrap metal or C&D into an ordinary apartment recycling container. |
§356-35:
• up to $25 first offense; • up to $100 each subsequent offense. A separate §356-30 unauthorized curbside-collection offense carries up to $500 and/or 90 days in county jail. The recycling penalty section does not state that every continuing day is a separate offense. |
Fort Lee Code — Article V Recycling
Fort Lee DPW — Garbage & Recycling |
| Hackensack | Owners, agents of owners, managing agents and superintendents each have duties under Chapter 93 and are not relieved merely because another occupant or person has similar duties. |
4+ unit multifamily:
• annual recycling-program registration by January 10; • new 4+ unit properties register within 45 days after certificate of occupancy; • monthly recycling report due by the 10th day for the preceding month. |
Private collectors/scavengers are permitted subject to City requirements.
C&D: must be recycled privately, with proof provided to the Building and Land Use Department before issuance of a certificate of occupancy. Apartment buildings / condominiums / habitable dwellings with more than four units are limited to 10 qualifying large/heavy items under the City's applicable large-item collection rule. |
After written notice:
• 1st: $100; • 2nd: $250; • 3rd: $500 + possible up to 25 man-hours recycling community service; • 4th/subsequent: $1,000 + possible community service and/or up to 90 days jail. Each day of continuing violation is expressly a separate offense. City Sanitation may also refuse service for noncompliance. |
Hackensack Code — Chapter 93, Article II
Hackensack Public Works — Sanitation & Recycling |
| Teaneck | Owners/operators of multifamily dwellings, including condominium/co-op associations, must establish a recycling program and keep designated recyclables separate from municipal solid waste. |
If a multifamily property makes private arrangements:
• notify the Township Manager; • submit documentation/market slips twice annually; • filings are due no later than January 10 and July 10; • documentation identifies the private hauler, material, recycling center, tonnage and disposal dates. |
Maintain records from the private recycler/collector sufficient to support the Township reporting requirement.
Do not use a generic County list as a substitute for Teaneck's residential-sector designations and the property's actual collection specifications. |
§19-40 permits no more than two warning notices before enforcement.
Each day constitutes a separate violation. Violations are subject to §1-6: up to $2,000, up to 90 days imprisonment, and/or up to 90 days community service. |
Teaneck Code — Article IV Recycling
Teaneck Code — §1-6 General Penalty |
| Paramus | Owners, lessees and occupants must separate the recyclable materials specified by Article III from other solid waste. |
New-development trigger:
proposals for
25 or more multifamily units
must incorporate recycling provisions.
Condominiums must provide a separate collection method and submit recycling plans to the Borough Recycling Coordinator for approval. |
Residential curbside preparation rules should not automatically be applied to a
privately managed apartment property without confirming its collection arrangement.
§379-21's commercial registration/reporting requirements apply to business/commercial properties and should not automatically be characterized as a residential apartment requirement merely because an apartment property is professionally managed. |
After a written warning, ordinary Article III violations:
• 1st: $25; • 2nd: $50; • 3rd: $100; • thereafter: up to $500. §379-21 commercial-user violations have a separate $50 / $100 / $200 / up-to-$500 progression. |
Paramus Code — Article III Recycling
Paramus Code — §379-25 Penalties |
| Englewood |
All solid-waste generators must source-separate recyclable materials.
For residential premises containing four units or more, the owner must provide appropriate recycling containers for occupants in locations approved by the Director of Public Works. |
For premises subject to private collection under §364-10F, contracting information must be furnished
to the Recycling Coordinator annually in January, and a change in private scavenger must be reported
within 30 days.
Private recyclable collectors themselves have annual registration and monthly-reporting duties under §364-10H. |
Distinguish the
property owner's duties from the separate
private collector/scavenger duties.
White metal has a separate private-removal/recycling procedure. C&D compliance under §364-10I should remain separate from ordinary resident recycling. |
Ordinary Article I violations:
• 1st: $25; • 2nd: $50–$100; • 3rd: $100–$200; • 4th/subsequent: $100–$500. The enhanced $2,500–$10,000 penalty applies specifically to §§364-8, 364-10H or 364-10I—not ordinary recycling contamination generally. |
Englewood Code — Chapter 364
Englewood Code — §364-11 Penalties |
| Garfield | Chapter 249 establishes mandatory source separation of designated recyclables. |
Development trigger:
§275-10 defines multifamily housing development as a building containing
three or more dwelling units.
A new multifamily development that requires subdivision or site-plan approval must include an indoor or outdoor recycling area meeting the section's design requirements. |
C&D:
recycling is mandatory and is a condition precedent to permanent certificate of occupancy;
written tonnage/type documentation is required.
Garfield's semiannual recycling-report and annual-registration provisions in §249-6A/B specifically address commercial/industrial property and should not automatically be presented as ordinary residential multifamily reporting requirements. White goods and C&D have separate handling rules and are not ordinary recycling-center/curb items. |
Violation of Chapter 249 may, upon conviction, result in:
• fine up to $2,000; • imprisonment up to 90 days; • and/or community service up to 90 days. §249-12 separately makes each unauthorized collection/package a separate offense; do not automatically apply that separate-offense wording to every type of Chapter 249 violation. |
Garfield Code — Chapter 249 Recycling
Garfield Code — §275-10 Multifamily Recycling Areas |
Designated Recyclables by Municipality — Operational Summary
These are source-separation designations, not a promise that every item is accepted in one resident bin. Property management should map each applicable material to the correct container, special collection, contractor, municipal program or recycling facility.
Fort Lee — Borough Designated Recyclables
Fort Lee §356-23 designates:
- Leaves
- Newspapers and magazines
- Corrugated cardboard
- Glass
- Aluminum
- White goods
- Fats and bones
- Used motor oils
- Ferrous scrap metal
- Tin / ferrous cans
- Grass
- High-grade paper
- Construction and demolition debris
- Mixed paper
- Type 1 and Type 2 plastic containers
Property-manager note: Fort Lee's designation of white goods, motor oil, scrap metal and C&D does not make those materials ordinary apartment-container recyclables. Follow the Borough's separate disposition provisions.
Fort Lee Code — Article V Recycling
Hackensack — City Designated Recyclables
Hackensack's recyclable-material definition includes:
- Newspapers
- Corrugated cardboard
-
Commingled containers:
- Glass
- Tin
- Aluminum
- Type 1 and 2 plastic bottles
- Mixed paper / junk mail
- Electronic waste
- Grass clippings
- Motor oil
- Dry-cell household batteries
- Small sealed lead-acid rechargeable batteries
- Fluorescent bulbs
- Leaves
Property-manager note: Hackensack's e-waste, oil, batteries and fluorescent-bulb designations should be assigned to appropriate special-material pathways rather than the ordinary resident recycling container.
Hackensack Code — Article II Collection and Recycling
Teaneck — Residential Sector
Teaneck requires designated residential recyclables to remain separated from municipal solid waste. The Township's definitions and recycling article should be used together when building the property's accepted-material list.
Critical multifamily requirement: owners/operators of multifamily dwellings—including condominium/co-op associations—must establish a recycling program. Private arrangements require Township notification and twice-yearly documentation.
Teaneck Code — §19-1 Definitions / Designated Recyclables
Teaneck Code — Article IV Recycling
Paramus — Borough Recycling Program
Paramus Article III establishes separation and collection rules for:
- Used newspapers
- Corrugated cardboard
- Aluminum cans
- Glass
- Tin cans
- Plastic
- Grass
- Brush
Property-manager note: the residential curbside preparation instructions in §379-17 should not automatically be represented as the required collection method for every privately operated multifamily property. Confirm the property's actual arrangement with the Borough Recycling Coordinator and collection provider.
Paramus Code — Article III Recycling
Englewood — Mandatory Source Separation
Englewood requires all solid-waste generators to source-separate recyclable materials and contains additional rules for multifamily properties, private collectors, C&D and white metal.
4+ unit property-manager requirement: the owner must provide appropriate recycling containers for occupants in locations approved by the Director of Public Works.
Private-haul note: distinguish the owner's information/reporting obligations from the separate registration and monthly-reporting obligations imposed on a private recyclable collector under §364-10H.
Garfield — Mandatory Recycling + Multifamily Development
Garfield Chapter 249 establishes its mandatory recycling framework and designated recyclable materials. The City's site-plan chapter separately imposes a recycling-area requirement on qualifying new 3+ unit multifamily developments requiring subdivision or site-plan approval.
C&D: owners/contractors must recycle qualifying construction/demolition debris and provide required documentation.
Garfield Code — Chapter 249 Recycling
Garfield Code — §275-10 Multifamily Recycling Areas
Fines & Enforcement Snapshot — Multifamily Focus
- Fort Lee: up to $25 for a first Article V offense and $100 for each subsequent offense. The separate §356-30 unauthorized curbside-collection offense carries up to $500 and/or 90 days in county jail. Do not characterize every Fort Lee recycling violation as a daily offense.
- Hackensack: after written notice, penalties progress from $100 → $250 → $500 → $1,000, with community service/jail consequences available at later stages. The City may refuse collection service, and each continuing day is expressly a separate violation.
- Teaneck: no more than two warning notices are allowed before enforcement. Each day is a separate violation. The recycling article incorporates §1-6, which authorizes up to $2,000, up to 90 days imprisonment, and/or up to 90 days community service.
- Paramus: after written warning, ordinary recycling penalties are $25, $50, $100, then up to $500. Commercial-user violations under §379-21 use a separate $50, $100, $200, then up to $500 schedule.
- Englewood: ordinary penalties are $25 first offense; $50–$100 second; $100–$200 third; $100–$500 fourth/subsequent. The enhanced $2,500–$10,000 provision applies specifically to §§364-8, 364-10H and 364-10I and should not be represented as the general recycling penalty.
- Garfield: Chapter 249 violations may, upon conviction, result in a fine up to $2,000, imprisonment up to 90 days, and/or community service up to 90 days.
- Property-manager practice: maintain accurate service records, reporting documentation where required, current resident instructions, photographs of collection areas and corrective-action records to reduce the risk of violations and escalating enforcement.
Property Manager Compliance Checklist — Bergen County Multifamily
Swipe or scroll horizontally. The first column remains fixed.
| Task | Action / Requirement | Municipality-Specific Check | Documentation / Helpful Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☑ Apply NJ SSRA Baseline | Start with N.J.S.A. 13:1E-99.11 et seq. as New Jersey's statewide source-separation and recycling framework, then identify the applicable Bergen County and municipal implementation requirements. | The SSRA does not make Fort Lee, Hackensack, Teaneck, Paramus, Englewood and Garfield operationally identical. Municipal multifamily, registration, reporting, development and penalty provisions remain municipality-specific. | Keep a current copy/link to the State Act together with the applicable municipal recycling ordinance and property collection specifications. |
| ☑ Confirm Jurisdiction | Identify the municipality in which the apartment community is physically located and review that municipality's recycling chapter in addition to the Bergen County baseline. | Fort Lee, Hackensack, Teaneck, Paramus, Englewood and Garfield have materially different multifamily, reporting, development and enforcement provisions. | Save the applicable ordinance sections and current DPW/recycling-program instructions in the property's compliance file. |
| ☑ Determine Service Model | Document whether trash/recycling is municipally collected, privately collected, or handled through another lawful arrangement. | Teaneck private arrangements trigger municipal notification/reporting. Hackensack permits private collectors/scavengers subject to City rules. Englewood has owner/private-collector information requirements. | Keep current contracts, provider contacts, invoices, route information and processor specifications. |
| ☑ Check Unit Thresholds | Determine whether the property's unit count triggers a specific multifamily requirement. |
Hackensack: 4+ unit registration/monthly reporting. Englewood: 4+ unit owner container duty. Paramus: 25+ new multifamily development recycling provisions. Garfield: new 3+ unit multifamily development + site-plan/subdivision trigger. |
Keep unit-count documentation and applicable planning/site-plan approvals with the compliance file. |
| ☑ Map Materials to Collection Streams |
Create a simple matrix:
material → resident instruction → collection point → collector → processing/disposal pathway. |
Do not place white goods, C&D, motor oil, batteries, electronics, yard waste or heavy metal into the ordinary apartment recycling stream unless that exact pathway is authorized. | Ask the property's recycling provider for a written accepted-material list and contamination rules. |
| ☑ Containers & Recycling Areas | Provide practical, clearly identifiable collection/storage capacity for the property's approved recycling stream. |
Englewood 4+: recycling-container locations require DPW Director approval. Garfield qualifying new MF development: §275-10 recycling-area design standards apply. |
Retain photographs, approved site plans where applicable, container maps and current signage. |
| ☑ Hackensack Reporting | For a Hackensack multifamily property with 4+ units: register annually and submit required monthly recycling reports. | Annual registration is due by January 10; monthly reports are due by the 10th day for the preceding month. | Maintain tonnage/provider documentation supporting each submitted report. |
| ☑ Teaneck Private-Haul Reporting | If the Teaneck property uses private recycling arrangements, notify the Township Manager and retain the required documentation. | Market-slip/documentation filings are due no later than January 10 and July 10. | Documentation should identify private hauler, material, recycling center, tonnage and disposal dates. |
| ☑ Resident Education | Provide resident instructions that match the property's actual recycling system. | Do not give residents municipal single-family curbside instructions if the apartment community uses a different private multifamily collection configuration. | Recommended management practice: provide instructions at move-in and periodically thereafter and retain copies of communications. |
| ☑ Special Materials | Maintain separate property procedures for appliances, electronics, batteries, oil, fluorescent lamps, HHW, C&D and other materials excluded from the ordinary resident stream. | Municipal resident drop-off sites and County resident events should not automatically be treated as property-management or commercial disposal facilities. | Direct residents only to programs for which they are eligible and keep property-generated material within lawful commercial/property channels. |
| ☑ C&D / Renovations | Build recycling/disposal requirements into renovation and construction contractor scopes. |
Hackensack: private C&D recycling proof before CO. Garfield: C&D recycling and documentation tied to permanent CO. Englewood: §364-10I carries separate compliance and enhanced-penalty exposure. |
Retain weight tickets, recycling receipts, facility records and contractor certifications. |
| ☑ Review Penalty Language | Use the exact municipality's penalty provision when preparing compliance materials. | Do not use a generic “Bergen County fine” or assume every municipality treats each day as a separate offense. | Keep a current copy/link to the applicable penalty section. |
| ☑ National Doorstep Integration | Align the ordinary resident doorstep recycling stream with the materials accepted by the property's authorized recycling collection system. | Keep special waste, appliances, C&D, automotive materials and other excluded streams outside ordinary doorstep collection unless management establishes a separate specifically authorized process. | Document resident set-out rules, collection procedures, contamination observations and significant corrective actions. |
How National Doorstep fits the Bergen County waste/recycling system:
National Doorstep operates upstream from curbside and off-site hauling. Porters move authorized resident-setout bags and recycling from apartment doors to property-designated collection containers or collection points on private property, subject to ownership or authorized management approval.
National Doorstep does not replace or interfere with the property's municipal or privately contracted off-site waste/recycling hauler.
The ordinary doorstep recycling stream should be limited to materials accepted by the property's authorized recycling system and structured to support source separation under the applicable New Jersey SSRA, Bergen County and municipal requirements. White goods, appliances, electronics, motor oil, batteries, C&D debris, yard waste and other special materials remain subject to their separate lawful pathways.
Properties Elsewhere in Bergen County
New Jersey's N.J.S.A. 13:1E-99.11 et seq. SSRA is the statewide legal foundation. The BCUA countywide material list is a county baseline, not a substitute for the municipal ordinance. For properties outside Fort Lee, Hackensack, Teaneck, Paramus, Englewood and Garfield:
- confirm the municipality's recycling ordinance and current DPW/recycling instructions;
- determine whether multifamily or private-haul properties have registration, reporting, container or site-plan requirements;
- verify the property's accepted-material list with its actual recycling collector/processor;
- verify local handling for white goods, electronics, C&D, yard waste and other special materials;
- use the municipality's own penalty section rather than extrapolating from another Bergen County municipality.
Bergen County Utilities Authority — What to Recycle in Bergen County
Need a fast multifamily recycling review in Fort Lee, Hackensack, Teaneck, Paramus, Englewood, Garfield or elsewhere in Bergen County? Request a Free Compliance Audit for your Bergen County multifamily property . We can help management review the resident doorstep workflow, container access, accepted-material instructions, contamination controls and compliance documentation while keeping municipal/private off-site hauling responsibilities clearly separated.
EEAT / AUTHORITATIVE ORDINANCE & POLICY SOURCES:
[1] Bergen County Utilities Authority — Recycling Program
[2] Bergen County Utilities Authority — What to Recycle in Bergen County
(official residential and commercial/institutional/industrial designated-material baseline)
[3] Borough of Fort Lee — Chapter 356, Article V Recycling
(§356-23 materials; §356-24 separation; §356-27 white goods;
§356-35 penalties; §356-36 C&D/noncollectible materials)
[4] Borough of Fort Lee — Garbage Collections & Recycling
[5] City of Hackensack — Chapter 93, Article II Collection and Recycling
(§93-4 management duties; §93-5 4+ unit registration/reporting;
§93-6 private collection; §93-7 C&D/bulk/container requirements;
§93-11 penalties)
[6] City of Hackensack — Public Works / Sanitation & Recycling
[7] Township of Teaneck — §19-1 Definitions / Residential Designated Recyclables
[8] Township of Teaneck — Article IV Recycling
(§19-35 multifamily program; §19-39 private arrangements/reporting;
§19-40 violations)
[9] Township of Teaneck — §1-6 General Penalty
[10] Borough of Paramus — Article III Recycling
(§379-16 separation; §379-17 collection and 25-unit development trigger;
§379-21 commercial provisions)
[11] Borough of Paramus — §379-25 Violations and Penalties
[12] City of Englewood — Chapter 364 Solid Waste and Recycling
(§364-10 mandatory source separation; 4+ unit container requirement;
private-collection duties)
[13] City of Englewood — §364-11 Violations and Penalties
(ordinary schedule and §§364-8/10H/10I enhanced penalties)
[14] City of Garfield — Chapter 249 Recycling
(mandatory separation; reporting; C&D; materials; enforcement; penalties)
[15] City of Garfield — §275-10 Recycling Areas in Multifamily Housing Developments
(new 3+ unit developments requiring subdivision/site-plan approval)
[16] New Jersey Statewide Mandatory Source Separation and Recycling Act —
N.J.S.A. 13:1E-99.11 et seq. / P.L.1987, c.102
[17] NJDEP — New Jersey Statewide Mandatory Source Separation and Recycling Act
(current NJDEP overview and statutory reference)
Interested in talking about how we can work together? Here's our contact info.
