Trash Talk: 8 Items That Are Illegal To Throw In The Garbage In New York

Not everything can go in the trash in New York. Several items are illegal to just toss in the garbage.

Disposal Requirements Vary

The disposal of certain items varies by municipality or waste pick-up company. If you are unsure of how to properly dispose of a certain item in your area, check with the municipality before tossing it in the trash.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has additional information on the disposal of household hazardous wastes and recycling.

Certain household items including plastic bags and rechargeable batteries can be taken back to participating stores for proper recycling or disposal.

Remember to take back items no longer used to help waste reduction.

Littering Fines

You can't just toss the trash in the street either. That is considered littering and it could cost you $350 in fines. You may also end up doing 10 hours of community service. The fine increased to $700 and 15 hours of community service if you're caught littering a second time.

New York City also has its own set of laws when it comes to littering.

You cannot sweep or throw out any material into a street or public space. You cannot throw trash out of your windows, and you also cannot throw garbage into a vacant lot.

Fines are anywhere from $100 to $450 for the first offense, and they only go up from there.