Starting Jan. 1, 2027, the Kearny DPW recycling yard at 357 Bergen Ave. will stop taking general drop-offs from residents. The Observer reported the change on Sept. 19, and the Town's Department of Public Works page describes it as a move to "curbside pickup only and scheduled collection services." That leaves this fall as the last season when a carload of cardboard or an old microwave can go to Bergen Avenue whenever it suits you.
Other deadlines land in the same stretch. Hudson County's last household hazardous waste and shredding events of 2026 are all scheduled in October, and the leaf program starts the first week of November. After Oct. 31, the county events are finished for the year and the yard is the only place left to drop things off on your own. Once the yard closes to drop-offs on Jan. 1, nearly every way to get rid of something in Kearny follows a set schedule. You either put it out on your zone's day or call DPW and wait for a pickup.
What Changes at 357 Bergen Avenue on Jan. 1
The Town gives one reason for the change: "ongoing efforts to streamline operations while continuing to provide essential recycling and collection services to residents." In practice, the yard stops being an open drop-off point and keeps a few specific jobs.
| What you're getting rid of | How it works from Jan. 1, 2027 |
|---|---|
| Mixed paper and cardboard | Curbside only, picked up by Cali Carting on your zone's recycling day |
| Commingled bottles, cans and plastics | Curbside only, picked up by Cali Carting on your zone's recycling day |
| Metals, appliances, electronics | Call DPW at 201-998-3700 to schedule a pickup |
| Tires | Drop-off continues on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month |
| Used motor oil and antifreeze | The DPW yard continues to accept both |
The Observer's summary mentions only used motor oil. The Town's own notice lists antifreeze too, so the Town page is the version to follow.
The paper and commingled rows will feel the smallest change for most households, since curbside pickup already runs on a fixed schedule. According to the Town's recycling page, collection happens on the first garbage day of each week in each zone and alternates between commingled recyclables and mixed paper. The 2026 Trash & Recycling Calendar sets recycling days as Zone 2 on Monday, Zone 1 on Tuesday, Zone 3 on Wednesday and Zone 4 on Thursday. Commingled covers aluminum and metal food and beverage containers, glass bottles and jars, and plastic food, beverage and detergent containers marked #1 through #7. Mixed paper covers newspapers, magazines, boxes, phone books and office paper.
The bigger change is in the metals, appliances and electronics row. Right now you can drive these over yourself. In 2027, each item means a phone call and a pickup date the DPW sets.
October Is the Last Open Window of 2026
The yard is only part of the October rush. The Hudson County Improvement Authority runs the county's mobile collection days for things that can't go in the regular trash or a recycling bin. Its full-year 2026 calendar lists no hazardous waste, e-waste, tire or shredding dates after Oct. 31. These are the events still to come:
- Saturday, Oct. 17, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mobile shredding at Lincoln Park, Duncan Avenue parking lot, Jersey City.
- Sunday, Oct. 18, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Household hazardous waste, e-waste and tires at the Secaucus High School parking lot, 11 Millridge Road, Secaucus.
- Saturday, Oct. 24, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mobile shredding at the West New York DPW, 6200 Dewey Ave.
- Saturday, Oct. 31, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Household hazardous waste, e-waste and tires at the Jersey City Municipal Service Complex, 13–15 Linden Ave., Jersey City.
- Saturday, Oct. 31, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mobile shredding at the Harrison stadium north parking lot.
The HCIA shredding notice says the events are open to Hudson County residents, not businesses. Paper can come in any container. The HCIA homepage asks participants to keep documents to no more than 40 pounds. The online listing for the Oct. 31 Harrison event shows a mismatched address, so check the entrance before you drive over.
Kearny's DPW page lists a few prep rules that save a wasted trip. Latex paint is no longer accepted at household hazardous cleanouts. The Town says to dry out the cans with cat litter until the paint is solid, then throw them in regular garbage. Alkaline batteries can go in regular garbage. Rechargeable batteries are still accepted at hazardous waste collections as long as the contacts are taped over.
November Moves the Work to the Curb
The leaf program starts the week of Nov. 2 and runs through Jan. 8, 2027, weather permitting. No call is needed to schedule a pickup. The DPW page also says residents should no longer put leaves in the street on street sweeping day.
Leaves now go in biodegradable paper leaf bags at the curb, and plastic bags of any kind are refused. Only leaves go in the bags. Grass, twigs and other yard waste go out with regular garbage. If a landscaper handles your yard, the Town asks you to tell them they'll need to bag the leaves for the curb or haul them away. Residents who put leaves in the street get warning notices, the DPW won't pick those leaves up, and repeat offenders can be fined up to $500 per occurrence.
The DPW sells bags weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 357 Bergen Ave., 10 for $5. Paper leaf bags from any retailer also work.
The leaf pickup days don't follow the recycling zone order:
- Monday: Zone 3, green on the zoning map
- Tuesday: Zone 2, red
- Wednesday: Zone 1, blue
- Thursday: Zone 3, green
- Friday: Zone 4, yellow
The Town's page lists Zone 3 for both Monday and Thursday, which looks like a typo on the page. If you live in Zone 3, confirm your day with DPW at 201-998-3700 before putting bags out. The same number arranges a leaf bag pickup before Nov. 2 or after Jan. 8.
What Replaces the Drive to the Yard
Bulky items already run on curbside dates. The 2026 calendar marks zone cleanouts around Oct. 16–17, Nov. 13–14 and Dec. 11–12. Mattresses and box springs put out for garbage collection have to be wrapped in plastic. Check the calendar PDF against your zone, because cleanout timing and recycling days don't line up week to week.
For metals, appliances and electronics, the call to 201-998-3700 is already an option today, and from Jan. 1 it becomes the only one. For a missed curbside pickup, Cali Carting's customer service is 201-991-5400 or [email protected].
Tires keep a drop-off day at the yard after the change. Counting the second and fourth Tuesdays on the 2026 calendar, the remaining tire drop-off days this year are Oct. 13, Oct. 27, Nov. 10, Nov. 24, Dec. 8 and Dec. 22. The NJDEP collection-site directory lists the Kearny DPW site's hours as Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., so a drop-off this fall needs to fit inside a workday.
The Kearny Cleanup Calendar, Oct. 13 to Jan. 8
- Oct. 13 and Oct. 27: Tire drop-off Tuesdays at the DPW yard.
- Oct. 16–17: Zone cleanout dates on the 2026 calendar.
- Oct. 17 and Oct. 24: HCIA shredding in Jersey City, then West New York.
- Oct. 18: HCIA hazardous waste, e-waste and tires in Secaucus.
- Oct. 31: The last HCIA hazardous waste collection, in Jersey City, and the last shredding day, in Harrison.
- Week of Nov. 2: Leaf program begins, paper bags only.
- Nov. 13–14 and Dec. 11–12: The remaining zone cleanout dates.
- Dec. 31: The last day the DPW yard takes general resident drop-offs.
- Jan. 8, 2027: Leaf pickups end.
Old paint and a box of tax papers have county drop-off days only through Oct. 31, while a dead dehumidifier can still go to the yard through Dec. 31. From Jan. 1, the dehumidifier waits for a DPW pickup.
If you're thinking about listing in early 2027, now is a good time to clear out the basement, garage and spare room, before winter photos and while the yard still takes drop-offs. Ask Agent Alexa can help you build a prep timeline around Kearny's cleanup dates so your home is ready for its photo shoot. Schedule your free market consultation.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional about your situation.
