Solid Waste & Recycling

Recycling conserves natural resources, reduces pollution, saves energy and saves tax dollars! While it costs Hamden taxpayers $65 for every ton of refuse disposal, there is no charge for recycling disposal.

Curbside Recycling & Refuse Program

To guarantee pickup, please have your cart out before 6 a.m. on your pickup day. Place cart at the curb with the arrows and lid opening toward the street. All trash and recycling must be placed in the provided carts. Any trash bags or recycling placed outside of the carts will be left behind. Make sure the lids are closed as this will keep animals, rain, snow and ice out. For ease of automated pickup, please place your carts no closer than 3 feet apart of each other and away from obstacles such as mailboxes, utility poles, fire hydrants, parked cars or under trees.

Pickup Schedule

Curbside recycling is collected every other week, on the same day as refuse pick-up. To look up your collection day and recycling schedule please view the Recycling Weeks by Address (PDF) and the 2020 Recycling Calendar (PDF).

Holidays

There is no refuse or recycling collection on the following holidays:

  • New Year's Day
  • Memorial Day
  • Fourth of July
  • Labor Day
  • Thanksgiving Day
  • Christmas Day

Collection for that day and the days of the week that follow the holiday are delayed by one day. If the holiday falls on a weekend day, there will be regularly scheduled trash and recycling collection.

Recyclable Items

Pink Bags

The following items may now be recycled:

  • Backpacks
  • Blankets
  • Children's Clothing
  • Coats and Jackets
  • Dishes
  • Drapes/Curtains
  • Hats
  • Jewelry
  • Men's Clothing
  • Pillows
  • Pots/Pans
  • Purses
  • Shoes
  • Silverware
  • Sleeping Bags
  • Tools
  • Toys
  • Women's Clothing

To recycle these items, please place them into pink bags. These bags are available by calling the Hamden Recycling Coordinator at 203-287-7021 or via the Simple Recycling website. More information can be found on that website.

Blue Carts

Residents may place any recyclable item in their recycling bin for curbside pickup. Please do not mix trash and recycling together. Please remember that plastic bags are not recyclable and cannot be placed in the recycling cart. Carts cannot be lined with plastic bags. See the graphic below for complete information about what can go in your blue recycling cart.

A Guide to Recycling (JPG) Opens in new window

The carts are the property of the Town of Hamden and must be left at your home if you move.

Items Unable to Be Recycled

For a list of items which are not acceptable for curbside refuse collection, and where to dispose of them, please see our What To Do With Items Not Acceptable for Curbside Collection (PDF).