Cardboard Recycling in Rochester, NY
Flatten clean cardboard for your Rochester recycling container; ecopark also takes cardboard.
See all 3 options
Checked October 26, 2026 · Call before you go · How we check
Before you go
- Check whether you have corrugated boxes, coated packaging or mixed materials.
- Remove foam, plastic and other packing inserts.
- Flatten boxes and check quantity limits for your program.
New York rules
- DEC describes standard home recycling programs as covering glass, metal, plastic, paper and cardboard; check local guidance for what your program accepts. Source: NYSDEC: Recycling Resources (opens in new tab)
- The source-separation components towns must require include paper, glass, metals, plastics and garden and yard waste. Source: NY General Municipal Law 120-AA: Source separation and segregation of recyclable or reuseable materials (opens in new tab)
More New York rules (7)
- Household hazardous wastes are household materials that would be regulated as hazardous waste if generated elsewhere; household-generated HHW is exempt from state and federal hazardous waste rules. Source: NYSDEC: Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) (opens in new tab)
- Residents can take HHW to authorized HHW collection facilities or HHW collection events hosted by counties and municipalities; DEC has a map and list of permitted facilities. Source: NYSDEC: Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) (opens in new tab)
- If there is no permitted facility nearby, check with your municipality for periodic one- or two-day HHW collection events. Source: NYSDEC: Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) (opens in new tab)
- The state Environmental Protection Fund can pay up to 50 percent of the cost of municipal HHW collection programs. Source: NYSDEC: Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) (opens in new tab)
- General Municipal Law 120-aa required every municipality, by September 1, 1992, to adopt a local law requiring source separation of recyclables (paper, glass, metals, plastics, yard waste) where economic markets exist. Source: NY General Municipal Law 120-AA: Source separation and segregation of recyclable or reuseable materials (opens in new tab)
- DEC tells residents to check local guidance to see which items their program accepts. Source: NYSDEC: Recycling Resources (opens in new tab)
- DEC lists New York collection programs for items that belong outside the recycling bin: beverage containers, carpet, cell phones, e-waste, lead-acid vehicle batteries, mercury thermostats, paint, pharmaceuticals, plastic film, rechargeable batteries and tires. Source: NYSDEC: Recycling and Composting (opens in new tab)
Where this information comes from (14)
Where this information comes from
Checked October 26, 2026
- NYSDEC: Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) (opens in new tab) · New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
- Household hazardous wastes are household materials that would be regulated as hazardous waste if generated elsewhere; household-generated HHW is exempt from state and federal hazardous waste rules. Checked October 26, 2026.
- Residents can take HHW to authorized HHW collection facilities or HHW collection events hosted by counties and municipalities; DEC has a map and list of permitted facilities. Checked October 26, 2026.
- If there is no permitted facility nearby, check with your municipality for periodic one- or two-day HHW collection events. Checked October 26, 2026.
- The state Environmental Protection Fund can pay up to 50 percent of the cost of municipal HHW collection programs. Checked October 26, 2026.
- NY General Municipal Law 120-AA: Source separation and segregation of recyclable or reuseable materials (opens in new tab) · New York State Senate (Open Legislation)
- General Municipal Law 120-aa required every municipality, by September 1, 1992, to adopt a local law requiring source separation of recyclables (paper, glass, metals, plastics, yard waste) where economic markets exist. Checked October 26, 2026.
- The source-separation components towns must require include paper, glass, metals, plastics and garden and yard waste. Checked October 26, 2026.
- NYSDEC: Recycling Resources (opens in new tab) · New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
- DEC describes standard home recycling programs as covering glass, metal, plastic, paper and cardboard; check local guidance for what your program accepts. Checked October 26, 2026.
- DEC tells residents to check local guidance to see which items their program accepts. Checked October 26, 2026.
- NYSDEC: Recycling and Composting (opens in new tab) · New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
- DEC lists New York collection programs for items that belong outside the recycling bin: beverage containers, carpet, cell phones, e-waste, lead-acid vehicle batteries, mercury thermostats, paint, pharmaceuticals, plastic film, rechargeable batteries and tires. Checked October 26, 2026.
- Monroe County: ecopark (opens in new tab) · Monroe County Department of Environmental Services
- ecopark is for use by Monroe County residents only. Checked October 26, 2026.
- Paper and cardboard are accepted without an appointment. Checked October 26, 2026.
- City of Rochester: Residential Refuse (opens in new tab) · City of Rochester Department of Environmental Services
- Bulk items (household furniture, bedding and mattresses, large appliances) may be placed at the curb on the normal refuse day. Checked October 26, 2026.
- Residential refuse fees are on the annual tax bill: $399 for a one-unit property. Checked October 26, 2026.
- City of Rochester: At Your Service residential brochure (2024–25) (opens in new tab) · City of Rochester Department of Environmental Services
- Residents can recycle clean flattened cardboard, paper, glass jars, plastic bottles and aluminum cans in the recycling container. Checked October 26, 2026.
“Checked” means we read the official page on that date. Things can change, so call before you go.
How we check our information