Sanitation Division

Sanitation Division COVID-19 UPDATES
As of 3/23/20

Due to the on-going Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic the RDC will be closed to the public until further notice. 

In addition, bulky item collection is temporarily suspended. If you have extenuating circumstances regarding this change, please reach out to Sanitation Division.

On March 23, 2020, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts issued an order to cease all non-essential business. Effective immediately, Simple Recycling, the City’s vendor for curbside textile collection (Pink Bag Program), notified the Department that all collection operations are temporarily suspended until further notice.

Please do not leave pink bags at the curb as they will not be collected.

Weekly trash and recycling collection WILL continue as usual.

Thank you for your cooperation!

Recycling Made Easy

Type in your address to sign up for reminders for trash and recycling collection. Use the Waste Wizard to search items and learn how to properly dispose of them.

What We Do

  • Collect refuse and recycling from over 17,000 residential dwellings with four or fewer units on a weekly basis and transport over 130,000 pounds of material for recycling or disposal every day.
  • Operate the Recycling Center and Yard Waste Drop Off sites to allow residents to dispose of refuse, sorted recyclable materials, and yard waste.
  • Perform special curbside collections including spring and fall leaf and brush collection, Christmas tree collection and excess cardboard.
  • Hold annual events such as Household Hazardous Waste Day, Shred Fest, Electronic Recycling.
  1. What Can I Recycle?
  2. When Is My Collection Day?
  3. Holidays and Events
  4. Recycling Drop-Off Center

The recycling market is constantly changing; therefore, items accepted in  your curbside recycling cart are subject to change. Not all items with a recycling symbol are accepted in your curbside bin. Search the Waste Wizard at the top of this page to learn how to properly dispose of items.

See our 2018-2019 mailer for two pages of information the common items we find in recycling carts that don't belong there. View the mailer.