Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for New Castle
Trash Day
Trash is collected once per week, Monday through Friday, depending on your neighborhood route.
Recycling
Recycling is collected every other week on the same day as your regular trash pickup.
Yard Waste
Curbside leaf collection occurs for 2 weeks in spring and 6 weeks in fall on alternating recycling weeks, plus Christmas tree pickup during the first 2 weeks of January.
Set Out Time
By 6:00 AM on collection day
Utility Billing & Payments
Manage your local solid waste services
Residents have the choice between buying official City per-bag stickers/bags at local retailers or subscribing to a quarterly billed 95-gallon cart service with contracted hauler Aiken Refuse.
Billing Cycle
Quarterly
Accepted Methods
Online, Phone, Mail
Pro Tip / Discount
A medical exemption form is available for residents needing assistance with curbside placement, but no specific low-income or senior discounts are listed.
95-Gallon Cart (Aiken Refuse) or Orange Aiken Bags Bin (Trash)
Cart users MUST bag all trash inside the 95-gallon bin to protect workers. The lid must close. Any excess trash outside the cart must be in a pre-purchased Aiken Orange Bag. Have items at the curb within 3 feet of the street by 6:00 AM on your collection day.
Accepted Items
- ✓Standard household garbage
- ✓Food waste
- ✓Broken glass (securely wrapped in heavy paper)
Blue Bin (Provided by the City) Bin (Recycling)
Keep recyclables loose in the blue bin; never use plastic bags. Place the bin out every other week according to your designated Aiken Refuse zone schedule.
Accepted Items
- ✓Plastic bottles and jugs only
- ✓Steel, tin, and aluminum cans
- ✓Corrugated cardboard (flattened)
- ✓Newspapers, magazines, and junk mail
- ✓Mixed office paper
Do NOT Include
- ✕Glass bottles and jars (depending on current Lawrence County updates, check hauler site)
- ✕Plastic bags
- ✕Yogurt tubs, butter tubs, and clamshell containers
- ✕Toys or plastic tubing
Yard Waste Bin
Must be placed in biodegradable brown paper leaf bags. Do not use plastic bags. Grass clippings, brush, sod, and dirt are strictly prohibited and will not be collected.
Accepted Items
- ✓Leaves only
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
On-demand, requires pre-purchased tags.
Placement
Attach the purchased tag to the item and place it at the curb on your normal trash day. Ensure it does not block the sidewalk or street.
Accepted
- ✓ Furniture (sofas, chairs, dressers)
- ✓ Mattresses and box springs (MUST be wrapped in plastic and taped shut)
- ✓ Small appliances and lamps
- ✓ Bundled carpeting (max 4 feet in length)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Construction debris
- ✕ Tires and auto parts
- ✕ Hazardous waste and chemicals
- ✕ E-waste (TVs and computers)
Tags can be purchased via the Aiken Refuse website or by calling 724-758-9400. Prices are subject to change.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
If a major holiday falls on a weekday, garbage and recycling collections will be delayed by one day for the remainder of that week (e.g., Monday pickup moves to Tuesday).
Yard Waste Exception
Seasonal leaf collections that fall on a holiday week will follow the same one-day delay as standard recycling and trash.
Always verify exact dates directly on the Aiken Refuse website, as weekend holidays typically do not disrupt the weekday schedule.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Recycle by Shape, Not the Triangle
In New Castle, just because a plastic item has a recycling triangle does not mean it goes in the blue bin. The program only accepts plastic bottles and jugs. Throw away all plastic tubs, buckets, and takeout clamshells.
Stop 'Wishcycling'
Putting items in the recycling bin hoping they can be recycled (like plastic toys, garden hoses, or wire hangers) contaminates the entire load. If an item is not specifically listed on the Lawrence County acceptable list, throw it in the trash.
Bag Your Trash, But Never Your Recycling
Aiken Refuse has opposite rules for your two bins: all garbage must be bagged before going into your trash cart, but recyclables must remain completely loose and unbagged in the blue bin.
Seasonal Information
Spring & Fall
Variable (2 weeks in Spring, 6 weeks in Fall)Aiken Refuse provides dedicated leaf waste collections during these seasons. Leaf bags are collected bi-weekly on your alternating recycling week. Dates are advertised in the New Castle News and on the city website.
Winter
January (First two weeks)Christmas trees are collected for free between January 4 and January 14 on your normal garbage day. Trees over 8 feet tall must be cut into 4-foot sections, and all decorations, lights, and tree bags must be removed.
Winter
December to MarchDuring severe Lawrence County snowstorms, ensure your 95-gallon cart is cleared of snow and placed at least 3 feet from snowbanks to allow the trucks clear access to the bin.
About New Castle Waste Management
Choosing Your Custom Waste Service Option
The City of New Castle offers residents a highly flexible solid waste program managed by Aiken Refuse. You can choose between two primary methods based on your household's waste generation. The first is a pay-as-you-throw 'Bag System' where you purchase specific Aiken Orange Bags at local stores in rolls of 10. The second option is a 95-gallon Cart System, which requires a quarterly subscription fee and an initial cart purchase, allowing you to fill an entire 95-gallon bin each week.
Strict Bagging Rules for 95-Gallon Cart Users
If you opt for the 95-gallon cart subscription, it is absolutely critical to understand that you cannot simply throw loose trash into the bin. Aiken Refuse strictly requires that all contents inside the cart must be securely bagged for the health and safety of their workers. You can use any standard store-bought trash bags inside the cart, but if your garbage exceeds the cart's capacity, the overflow must be placed in official Aiken Orange Bags next to the bin.
Purchasing Tags for Bulky Items and Furniture
Disposing of a couch, mattress, or large appliance in New Castle requires a bit of proactive planning. Bulk items are not included in the standard bag or cart pickup fees. Instead, residents must purchase special bulk item tags directly through Aiken Refuse for a flat fee per item (typically $10). Once the tag is attached, the hauler will collect the item. Note that mattresses and box springs must be completely wrapped in plastic and taped shut to prevent pest exposure before they can be collected.
Navigating the City's Recycling Program
New Castle's curbside recycling is collected every other week on alternating schedules. The city utilizes a single-stream method where clean paper, cardboard, metal cans, and plastic bottles and jugs are placed loosely in the blue recycling bins provided by the city. The program strictly emphasizes shape over the recycling symbol—only plastic bottles and jugs are accepted, meaning items like yogurt tubs and plastic takeout clamshells must go directly into the trash.
Curbside Leaf Collections and Yard Waste Limits
Yard waste disposal in New Castle is highly specific and limited entirely to leaves. Aiken Refuse runs a dedicated leaf collection route for two weeks in the spring and six weeks in the fall, synchronized with the alternating recycling schedule. Residents must use compostable brown paper leaf bags. Crucially, the city completely bans grass clippings, brush, dirt, and sod from these seasonal yard waste collections.
Drop-off Facilities
Lawrence County E-Waste & Hazardous Waste Collection Events
Various pre-scheduled locations in Lawrence County
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I buy the Aiken Orange Bags?
Aiken Orange Bags can be purchased in rolls of 10 for $35 at various local stores within the city limits. These bags are required if you opt for the bag system, or if you have excess trash that won't fit into your 95-gallon cart.
Can I throw loose garbage into my 95-gallon Aiken cart?
No. For the health and safety of the sanitation workers, Aiken Refuse strictly requires that all contents inside the 95-gallon cart must be bagged. You can use standard store-bought trash bags for this.
How do I get rid of an old mattress in New Castle?
To dispose of a mattress or box spring, you must purchase a bulk item tag from Aiken Refuse. Additionally, the mattress or box spring must be completely wrapped in plastic and sealed with duct tape before being placed at the curb to protect workers from potential pests.
Are grass clippings accepted in the yard waste collection?
No. The City of New Castle's seasonal yard waste collection is strictly for leaves placed in brown paper leaf bags. Grass clippings, dirt, brush, and sod are not accepted and will be left at the curb.