Mahwah apartment owners, asset managers, and property managers across northern Bergen County: avoid costly code violations while giving residents the valet trash & recycling amenity they expect. National Doorstep’s valet trash & recycling program is engineered to align with New Jersey’s Statewide Mandatory Source Separation and Recycling Act, the Bergen County Solid Waste Management Plan, and the Township of Mahwah’s recycling ordinance, helping you stay clear of escalating municipal fines while boosting NOI.
Under New Jersey state law and the Bergen County plan (administered by the Bergen County Utilities Authority (BCUA)), recycling is mandatory for all residential and multifamily properties. Mahwah’s local code implements these requirements by obligating every generator — including garden-style apartments, townhome communities, and condominium associations — to separate designated recyclable materials from solid waste and use the Township/hauler recycling system. Violations can be enforced through Mahwah’s general penalty provisions, which allow fines of up to $2,000 per offense, plus the possibility of community service or short-term imprisonment where warranted.
- Protect NOI & Asset Value: Reduce risk of per-day, per-offense municipal fines by aligning your onsite program with Mahwah’s recycling article and the Bergen County designated materials list.
- Resident-First Convenience: Doorstep service that keeps residents out of dark enclosures, reduces trips to dumpsters, and supports renewals and online reputation in a competitive northern Bergen submarket.
- Code-Smart Design: Container layouts, labels, and service frequencies designed around BCUA’s “What Do I Recycle?” guidelines and Mahwah’s set-out, separation, and contamination rules.
- Hands-Off Compliance: We handle hauler coordination, resident education, and documentation so your onsite team can focus on leasing and operations.
At a Glance: Township of Mahwah vs. Bergen County (North Bergen Capture)
Township of Mahwah (Inside Municipal Limits)
- Mandate Type: Mandatory source-separated recycling for all generators, including single-family, multifamily, commercial, and institutional properties.
- Applicability Threshold: Applies to every dwelling unit and multifamily community that sets out municipal solid waste for collection within the Township (garden apartments, mid-rise communities, condominiums, townhomes, and age-restricted housing).
- Property Manager Duties: Provide clearly labeled containers for designated recyclables; ensure residents separate recyclables from trash; follow Township set-out rules and collection schedules; keep dumpster enclosures and cart rooms clean and accessible; and cooperate with Township inspectors and BCUA educational efforts.
- Program Requirements: Align onsite recycling with the county-designated list (paper, cardboard, commingled glass/metal/plastic, white goods, yard waste where applicable); distribute written instructions to residents; and prevent contamination by keeping recyclables free of food waste and non-recyclable materials.
- Key Mahwah Links:
Mahwah DPW – Trash & Recycling FAQs
Mahwah Department of Public Works
Township of Mahwah – Municipal Code (Quick Links)
Bergen County & State Framework
- Mandate Type: Countywide mandatory recycling under the Bergen County Solid Waste Management Plan and New Jersey’s statewide mandatory recycling statute.
- County-Designated Core Materials (Residential):
- Corrugated cardboard and mixed paper
- Newspapers, magazines, mail, office paper
- Glass bottles and jars
- Aluminum and steel/tin cans
- Plastic containers #1 (PET) and #2 (HDPE)
- Leaves, grass clippings, and yard debris (where collected)
- White goods and other scrap metal
- Applicability Threshold: All municipalities in Bergen County (including Mahwah) must adopt and enforce recycling programs that, at a minimum, cover the county-designated recyclables. Multifamily properties are covered through each town’s recycling ordinance.
- County & State Resources:
Bergen County Utilities Authority (BCUA) – Recycling
NJDEP – Recycling & Mandatory Source Separation Act
Mahwah & Northern Bergen County Apartment Recycling Mandates
Mahwah does not treat apartment buildings as an optional “nice to have” for recycling. As in every Bergen County municipality, recycling is required by state law and by local ordinance. The main questions for a property manager are how you provide access and how well you document compliance.
| Jurisdiction | Apartment Recycling Mandate? | Notes for Property Managers |
|---|---|---|
| Mahwah, NJ | Yes – Mandatory residential & multifamily recycling | Mahwah’s recycling ordinance (adopted under New Jersey’s statewide mandatory recycling law and the Bergen County plan) requires all residents and property managers to separate designated recyclables from solid waste. Multifamily communities must provide clearly labeled containers; follow Township/hauler collection schedules; and ensure residents place paper, cardboard, commingled glass/metal/plastic, and other designated materials in recycling, not trash. Non-compliance may be cited under Mahwah’s general penalty provisions, which allow fines of up to approximately $2,000 per offense, as well as community service or short-term imprisonment in line with New Jersey municipal penalty standards. |
| Elsewhere in Bergen County | Yes – Countywide mandatory recycling via local ordinances | Every municipality in Bergen County is required to implement the county’s designated recyclables list. While specific chapter numbers and fine schedules vary by town, the pattern is consistent: multifamily properties must provide recycling and enforce source separation. Fines typically start with lower penalties for first offenses and can escalate toward the $2,000 per-offense cap authorized under New Jersey law if properties or residents repeatedly ignore recycling rules. Property managers should always check their specific municipal code and BCUA guidance for local details. |
Mahwah & Bergen County Fines & Penalties Snapshot
- Mahwah General Penalty Framework: Like most New Jersey municipalities, Mahwah’s code includes a general penalty section (commonly modeled on N.J.S.A. 40:49-5), which allows the municipal court to impose fines of up to $2,000 per violation, up to 90 days of imprisonment, and/or up to 90 days of community service, with each day a violation continues treated as a separate offense.
- Recycling-Specific Citations: A property that fails to provide required recycling containers, does not ensure resident separation of designated materials, or allows chronic contamination may receive written notices and then summonses for violating the recycling article. Penalties often start with lower fines for first offenses and escalate for repeat violations or willful non-compliance.
- County & State Expectations: Because the Bergen County plan and New Jersey’s mandatory recycling act require effective enforcement, municipalities are expected to use fines and, where necessary, court orders or community service to bring chronic violators into compliance — especially larger multifamily communities with persistent issues.
- Practical Exposure for Multifamily Communities: While the theoretical maximum fine is high, most cases are resolved at the notice or modest fine level. However, a property that ignores directives or allows ongoing violations can see fines accumulate daily and may attract more frequent inspections.
- Risk Management Tip: Document everything: hauler contracts, container layouts, photos of clean enclosures, recycling labels, and copies of resident education materials. A well-organized compliance file makes it easier to resolve complaints and demonstrate good-faith efforts if a citation is issued.
Mahwah Multifamily Recycling Compliance Checklist
| Task | Action / Requirement | Helpful Links |
|---|---|---|
| ☑ Confirm Jurisdiction & Property Type | Verify that your community is located in Mahwah (not just using a Mahwah mailing address) and confirm the property type (garden, mid-rise, condo, age-restricted, etc.). Every residential building that sets out municipal solid waste for collection within the Township is subject to the local recycling ordinance and the Bergen County designated materials list. |
Township of Mahwah – Official Site Mahwah DPW – Trash & Recycling FAQs |
| ☑ Align with County-Designated Recyclables |
Map your waste stream to the BCUA-designated materials for Bergen County:
• Paper: newspapers, magazines, catalogs, office paper, junk mail, mixed paper. • Containers: glass bottles/jars, aluminum cans, steel/tin cans, #1 and #2 plastic bottles/containers. • Cardboard: corrugated cardboard broken down and kept dry. • Metals & white goods: appliances and scrap metal handled via bulk/metal recycling. • Yard debris: leaves and grass clippings where applicable. |
BCUA – Recycling & “What Do I Recycle?” NJDEP – State Recycling Guidance |
| ☑ Provide Containers & Corral Layout |
Ensure your community has sufficient recycling container capacity to handle all designated materials without overflow:
• Provide commingled containers for glass/metal/plastic and separate containers or cages for cardboard and mixed paper. • Keep recycling containers in convenient proximity to trash dumpsters so residents can easily separate materials. • Label all containers clearly with “Recycling Only” and pictorial “Yes/No” lists aligned to Mahwah/BCUA rules. |
Mahwah DPW – Contact & Services BCUA – Recycling Resources |
| ☑ Resident Education & House Rules |
Build a simple, recurring resident education plan:
• Include Mahwah/Bergen “what to recycle” rules in move-in packets, renewal letters, and house rules. • Send at least semi-annual reminders (email, portal, print flyers) with clear “Yes/No” lists for recyclables. • Use signage at enclosures, mail kiosks, elevators, and package rooms to show residents exactly where and how to set out recycling for valet collection or dumpster/corral disposal. |
BCUA – Educational Materials NJDEP – Recycling Education |
| ☑ Document Service, Issues & Corrections |
Maintain an “inspection-ready” file for your Mahwah community:
• Current trash and recycling contracts, service days, and route maps. • Photos of container areas showing signage, cleanliness, and clear separation of trash and recycling. • Records of contamination issues (photos, hauler tags) and corrective actions (extra signage, resident notices, container adjustments). • Copies of all resident education pieces and house rules related to recycling. |
Mahwah DPW FAQs Mahwah Municipal Code (Quick Links) |
| ☑ Integrate Valet Trash & Recycling |
Integrate National Doorstep’s valet program so compliance feels like an amenity, not a burden:
• Match doorstep collection rules to Mahwah/BCUA-designated materials. • Use standardized resident instructions that reflect the Township’s separation and set-out requirements. • Build in routine feedback loops (photos, field notes) so you can spot contamination or overflow early and correct it before it becomes a code issue. |
Request a Free Compliance Audit |
Need to reduce your citation risk in Mahwah and northern Bergen County? Request a Free Compliance Audit for your Mahwah or northern Bergen property. We’ll review your current setup, right-size containers and service, design a resident-friendly valet trash & recycling program, and prepare the inspector-ready documentation you need to show alignment with Mahwah’s recycling ordinance, the Bergen County plan, and New Jersey’s mandatory recycling law.
Interested in talking about how we can work together? Here's our contact info.
