Middlesex County NJ
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Division Of Recycling
101 Interchange Plaza
Suite 202
Cranbury, NJ 08512
1-800-488-MCIA(6242)
Curbside Recycling Information
Middlesex County Improvement Authority (MCIA) Curbside Recycling Program
Automatic Side Load (ASL) Service Begins August 1, 2025
Starting August 1, 2025, the Middlesex County Improvement Authority (MCIA) will roll out a new Automatic Side Load (ASL) curbside recycling service in participating municipalities. This upgrade introduces a more efficient and safer collection system for single-stream recycling.
The ASL curbside recycling service utilizes 95-gallon wheeled carts with lids, which will replace current blue barrels or rectangular carts in use. All participating households will receive a 95-gallon wheeled cart with a lid before August 1, 2025. Residents should continue using their current blue recycling barrels or rectangular carts until their first recycling pickup under the new system in August. After that, all recyclables must be placed in the new 95-gallon cart. These carts are uniquely barcoded and assigned to each residential address.
Residents may keep and repurpose old containers for household purposes other than recycling. If you’d like to dispose of the old container, please place it inside your new cart on collection day.
Municipalities Participating in the Automatic Side Load (ASL) Service
The curbside recycling program currently serves 17 municipalities:
Cranbury, Dunellen, Helmetta, Jamesburg, Middlesex, Milltown, Monroe, New Brunswick, North Brunswick, Old Bridge, Piscataway, Plainsboro, Sayreville, South Amboy, South Plainfield, South River, and Spotswood.
Helpful Tips for Recycling Day
The Middlesex County Improvement Authority (MCIA) Recycling Program collects recyclables in single-stream fashion. All curbside recycling items such as glass bottles and jars, aluminum and steel cans, plastic water, soda, juice and detergent bottles, mayonnaise jars, jugs (one gallon or less), yogurt and dairy tubs, newspaper, mixed paper, and flat cardboard can all be mixed together in a single recycling container.
Do not put recycling in bags. We do not accept plastic bags.
Recyclables that are not properly prepared for collection may be rejected.
For additional recycling guidelines, please visit: www.MiddlesexCountyNJ.gov/Recycle
Questions?
If you have any questions regarding this new program, please contact your local Recycling Coordinator in your municipality (contact information for each municipality can be found in the drop-down menu below.)
About Municipal Recycling Collection
While the MCIA operates the countywide curbside recycling program, each participating municipality has its own Recycling Coordinator and collection schedule.
Municipalities also handle pickup of materials such as leaves, brush, and appliances and may offer special drop-off centers for additional items. Please check with your town for any additional rules or restrictions.