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Waste Management

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1. I just moved here and learned that the Town does not provide garbage collection. How do I dispose of my household garbage?

You may have your garbage picked up from your house by private carter or you may bring it yourself (“self-hauler”) to the Cutchogue Transfer Station. Whichever method you choose, regular kitchen garbage must be in “Town Garbage Bags”, i.e. , designated bags sold by the Town for a fee that covers the cost for disposing of the garbage they contain. Known as “pay as you throw”, this method promotes recycling, which is free, and keeps the cost of garbage disposal off the tax base. This allows residents the flexibility to determine for themselves how best to keep their waste disposal costs down. Bulky items, or waste that cannot be conveniently bagged (called “rubbish”), can also be collected by your carter (usually for a separate fee) or brought to the Transfer Station where the disposal cost is charged by weight at the vehicle scales. Waste Management Home Page

2. What’s the procedure for a “self-hauler” using the Transfer Station?

The Town does not provide curbside collection of garbage or recyclables.  Residents may arrange for collection with a private carter, but many avoid the cost of collection and bring their waste to the Transfer Station themselves.   The facility has a resident drop-off area where “self-haulers” deposit their waste and recyclables in designated bunkers.  There is a bunker for household garbage (in the Town yellow garbage bags), and bunkers for each category of recyclables, i.e., 1) mixed paper and cardboard; 2) mixed metal and plastic containers (#s 1 and 2 plastics ONLY); and 3) glass bottles.   Self-haulers must have a resident disposal permit on their vehicle (available from the Town Clerk’s office at Town Hall in Southold) OR pay a single entry fee of $5 per trip (not required for those dropping off recyclables only).  Those with bulky items that cannot be bagged, as well as construction debris and yard waste must go to the weigh scales where vehicles are weighed in, directed to the appropriate dumping area, then weighed out and charged fees based on the weight of the debris disposed.  Attendants and scale operators are available for assistance and instructions.  The Transfer Station is open 7:00 am – 5:00 pm 7 days a week (closed Holidays).

3. What are the disposal fees charged for waste brought to the Transfer Station?

See link below. Fees

4. What is the Town’s “yellow bag” garbage program all about?

It is a fee-type system that charges residents for trash disposal based on the amount of waste they throw away. Also called “pay-as-you-throw” it provides an incentive to recycle more thereby reducing the amount of waste disposed, and is becoming increasingly common around the country. Since Southold started “pay-as-you-throw” in 1993 the program is estimated to have saved the Town over $8,000,000 through avoided disposal costs (i.e., waste that was either recycled or not generated at all) and revenues from the sale of the additional recyclables that were generated.

5. Where can I buy “Town bags”?

The bags are available at many retailers in the Town. They can also be purchased at the Transfer Station (vending machine) and the Town Clerk’s office. See link below for locations. Fees and Locations

6. How do I dispose of paint and chemicals?

The Town holds four (4) free Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) days each year (click here for schedule) where residents can drop off most household hazardous items, including oil-based paint, chemicals, cleaners, pesticides, etc . Latex paint is not classified as a toxic chemical and should therefore be allowed to dry out and disposed of with normal trash. Hazardous Waste

7. I am moving and have unused household chemicals to dispose. What do I do?

Try to bring them to one of the four (4) HHW events the Town holds each year (click here for schedule). If you can’t, try asking a neighbor to bring them for you. Unfortunately the Town is not permitted to accept HHW for storage outside of the HHW events.

8. How do I get a residential disposal permit for my vehicle?

Residential disposal permits are sold at the Town Clerk’s office in Town Hall on Rt. 25 in Southold. Residential permits are issued every two (2) calendar years and are valid for the first year of issue through the end of the following year. See link below for additional information. Town Clerks Office

9. When are commercial disposal permits required and how do I get one?

Commercial disposal permits are required for those who want permits for vehicles to dispose of debris generated through business or commercial activity, or for any vehicle with a greater than one ton disposal capacity. They are valid for two (2) years from the date of issue. Fees

10. I don’t have a disposal sticker on my vehicle – can I still bring stuff to the transfer station?

Yes, residential vehicles without permits may still use the Cutchogue Transfer Station but will be charged a "single entry” fee if disposing of non-recyclable waste (i.e., garbage, rubbish, brush, etc.). Commercial vehicles are charged a single entry fee as well. The fees are charged for each entry. There is no entry fee charged for those disposing of recyclables only. See link below. Fees

11. My vehicle with the disposal permit is in the shop for repairs – do I have to pay the “single entry” fee if I use a substitute vehicle to bring my garbage to the Transfer Station?

No. Simply explain your situation to the attendant at the Transfer Station and for a limited time you will be allowed to dump without paying the fee.

12. I rented a U-Haul truck to bring a bunch of stuff for disposal. Will I be charged the single-entry fee for a commercial vehicle?

No, in the case of a resident using a rental truck, the residential single-entry fee applies (currently $5).

13. I need to borrow a friend’s pickup truck to haul a large piece of furniture to the Transfer Station, but it doesn’t have a disposal permit – can I use the permit for my vehicle for the truck?

No – disposal permits are issued for a specific vehicle and are not transferrable. The pickup truck will be charged the appropriate single entry fee.

14. How do I dispose of a freezer, de-humidifier, refrigerator, air-conditioner, or other refrigerant appliance?

Large appliances are accepted over the vehicle scales at the Cutchogue Transfer Station and deposited in a designated area. Refrigerant appliances cost a $20 fee, which covers the cost of removal of the refrigerant by a certified contractor (as required by federal law) prior to shipment to a recycler. Non-refrigerant appliances are accepted free of charge.

15. How do I dispose of electronic waste such as a TV, VCR, computer monitor, computer processor, laptop, cell phone, wiring, etc.?

Known as ‘e-waste’, electronic items are accepted free of charge at the Cutchogue Transfer Station. Under a state law passed in 2011, the cost for recycling e-waste is paid by electronics manufacturers doing business in New York State.

16. Where does the garbage accepted at the Transfer Station go?

Household and commercial garbage received at the Cutchogue Transfer Station is loaded into tractor-trailers and shipped to a waste-burning incinerator in Babylon. C&D (construction debris) is shipped to the Town of Brookhaven C&D landfill.

17. Where do the recyclables brought to the Transfer Station go?

Recyclables are loaded into tractor-trailers and shipped to private facilities on Long Island where they are sorted mechanically and shipped to end-use recyclers in the US and overseas.

18. How do I dispose of yard waste (i.e., brush and leaves)?

Yard waste is accepted at the Town’s yard waste compost facility in Cutchogue (same address as the Transfer Station). Leaves are accepted free of charge, but must be either loose or in bio-degradable paper leaf bags which are available at supermarkets and hardware stores throughout the Town. (If brought in plastic bags, the bags must be emptied. There are barrels at the compost site where you can leave the plastic bags for disposal, or you may take your bags back with you). Fees

19. What about free disposal of brush and branches?

Brush, from residential (i.e., non-commercial) sources is accepted free of charge during the two annual “Town Cleanups” (spring and fall), and the Highway Department collects brush from residents at the curb free of charge each spring. NOTE: Grass is NOT accepted at the compost site. If brought to the Transfer Station grass must be disposed of as garbage.

20. What happens to the yard waste disposed at the compost site?

The compost site has equipment to process all of the yard debris accepted there. The brush and tree debris is chopped up into woodchip mulch with an industrial wood waste grinder. The leaves are piled in rows and mixed periodically until they break down into compost that can be mixed with soil to provide organic nutrients for plants.

21. I want to cut back on chemical fertilizers on my lawn and gardens - is compost a good substitute?

Yes. Application of good quality compost can reduce or eliminate the need for chemical fertilizers and pesticides, a big plus when it comes to protecting our groundwater. The high quality organic nutrients in compost is, in effect, a fertilizer which promotes healthy plant growth with improved natural resistance to disease and pests.

22. How can I get compost or woodchip mulch from the compost site?

The compost site is open 7am – 5pm seven days a week, the same hours as the transfer station. Users proceed to the site after weigh in at the vehicle scales. After getting the compost/mulch (most residents shovel the material themselves into their own barrels or cans) they then weigh out. The Town will load users with trucks using the bucket loader on site if requested. (This service is available weekdays, Monday – Friday, ONLY)

23. How much does the compost and mulch cost?

See link below. Fees

24. Do residents get any compost or mulch for free?

Yes, Town residents are entitled to a total of 500 lbs free each year. Depending upon moisture content, this is roughly equivalent to about 4 garbage cans full of compost, 6 cans full of mulch. Quantities are tracked at the scale by vehicle license plate #. 

25. How do I dispose of grass?

If brought to the Transfer Station, grass must be disposed of as garbage. It can be in a Town Garbage Bag, or weighed at the vehicle scales and charged as “rubbish”.

26. Why isn’t grass accepted as yard waste at the compost facility?

In concentrated amounts, grass is often a source of strong, offensive odor to nearby residents. For this reason, the compost facility is prohibited by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) from accepting grass.

27. How do I dispose of tires? And what about the rims?

Tires, with or without rims, are accepted at the Transfer Station across the vehicle scales. See link below for fees. Fees

28. How do I dispose of used syringes (a.k.a. “sharps”)?

New York State law allows disposal of household sharps with household trash, however separate disposal through a medical facility is preferred if available.  Call your doctor, pharmacy, or clinic and ask if they accept properly-contained sharps for disposal. Effective July 1, 1995, hospitals and nursing homes were required to accept properly-contained home medical waste for disposal.

29. How are dead animals removed and disposed?

Dead animals on public roads are removed by the agency that has jurisdiction over the road. The Town Highway Department should be called for animals on Town roads (631-765-3140); the County Highway Department ( 631-852-4070) for animals on County Rt. 48 (“The North Road”); and the New York State Department of Transportation for animals on Rt. 25 (631-727-1731).

30. Does the Town offer a paper-shredding service?

Yes. A paper shredding event where residents can dispose of sensitive documents safely and securely and is normally held several times a year (click here for schedule) in the parking lot at the rear of the Recreation Center on Peconic Lane, in Peconic. This service is for SOUTHOLD TOWN residential (i.e., NON-commercial) generators ONLY. There is a five (5) box (legal size) maximum per vehicle. See link below.

Paper shredding

31. How do I dispose of used clothing and fabric?

There are bins for this purpose at the Transfer Station maintained by the Society of St. Vincent de Paul and by Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Long Island.

32. What can I do with items I no longer need but which I think are still useable and should not be thrown out?

There is a “Re-Use” center at the Transfer Station where items in useable condition may be left free of charge for others who may take them, also free of charge. The Center is open from 9am – 3pm every Friday, Saturday and Sunday (may be closed on some holiday weekends). Items left must be approved by the attendant in charge, and other rules apply.

33. How do I dispose of asbestos waste?

Asbestos waste must be handled by a licensed and permitted asbestos waste abatement contractor. See link below to the DEC website for procedures to be followed to dispose of asbestos. The Town Transfer Station does not accept asbestos waste. DEC website

34. How do I dispose of waste oil?

There is a waste oil tank at the Transfer Station available for disposal of residential (i.e., NOT commercial) sources of oil. Only oil is accepted. See link below. Waste Oil

35. How do I dispose of gasoline?

Gasoline can only be disposed of at an HHW drop off day (see link below for schedule). If you can’t come to an HHW event try a local garage, they may be willing to accept used gasoline. GASOLINE CAN NOT BE DEPOSITED IN THE WASTE OIL TANK. Schedule

36. How do I dispose of cooking oil?

Cooking oil should be disposed with your regular trash. IT CANNOT BE PLACED IN THE TRANSFER STATION’S WASTE OIL TANK.

37. I need a weight ticket for the Department of Motor Vehicles for a trailer I made – can I get that from the Transfer Station?

Yes, proceed to the scale house and ask the operator. You will receive a scale ticket with the weight. There is no charge.

38. I need to dispose of an old boat – can I get help to remove this from my trailer?

Due to liability concerns, Town equipment may not be used to remove loads from a private vehicle or trailer. Users should come prepared to unload their debris themselves.

39. Some tree limbs came down in my yard due to high wind – can I bring them to the compost site for free?

Fees for storm-generated debris can only be waived by the Town Board. This is usually done following severe storms with Town-wide impact putting at risk residents’ health and safety. Fees for debris from minor weather events are not waived.

40. Can I get wood for my stove from the compost site?

No. The Town facility is permitted for processing yard waste into compost only. State regulations prohibit general salvaging from the facility.