This invention is a method and system for improved garbage collection in a distributed computing system. Garbage collection is the process of releasing resources that are no longer being utilized by the objects to which those resources are allocated. Specifically, a garbage collection system and method are described that allow for different types of garbage collection to be used at different times and/or on different objects or resources in the system. In the preferred embodiment, the garbage collection routines are contained in separate mobile code module that can be changed dynamically interchanged to provide different garbage collection algorithms.