Trash Collection Guidelines

GUIDELINES: All trash (blue cart) and recycling (green cart) must be placed in the cart. All trash must be in bags. No trash outside the cart will be collected unless placed in orange overflow bags or bulky material for special collection. Please click here for additional guidelines.  Yard Waste is not accepted in the blue cart, please see Yard Waste Guidelines for accepted materials and collection dates.

State Waste bans prohibit the disposal of construction and demolition materials, for guidelines, please click here for our C&D disposal guide.

DO NOT INCLUDE: Recyclables, hazardous waste, medical or biological waste, hot ashes, sand, rocks, dirt, yard waste, loose needles, unbagged pellets and sawdust, etc. in your blue cart.

Using the new automated system is easy!
  1. Park It
    On your collection day, simply wheel your carts to the curb by 7AM on your collection day, or as early as 4PM the day before collection. Make sure the lid is closed.  Routes can change at any time and so can your pickup time.  Collections are delayed one day after a holiday.
  2. Point It
    The cart must be within 3 feet of the curb with the wheels and handle facing your house (Make sure lid opening is towards the street).
  3. Space It
    The cart must be at least 4 feet from objects (including parked cars, fire hydrants, telephone poles, trees, bulky waste, cart, mail boxes, etc.). If possible, please do not park on the street on your collection day.

Schedule a bulk pick up on your collection day:

Call a private hauler*:

Schedule a special Saturday pickup:

Bring to the Depot:

furniture and matresses

(Consider donation! Visit our Recyclopedia for listings)

construction materials

(if useable, please contact the Building Materials Resource Center 617-442-8917)

 appliances and freon items: refrigerators, air conditioners, freezers, water heaters, stoves, washers and dryers, etc.

scrap metal and appliances

motor oil

carpets (cut, rolled),

lumber (nails removed)

and tied into bundles not exceeding 4 ft

 for items longer than 4 feet and/or heavier than 50 pounds

TV and computer monitors and other electronics

fluorescent bulbs

mercury items &

non-alkaline batteries

tires

(2 per week, no rims)
There is a $12 charge per stop, which includes 1 TV or monitor. Additional TVs or monitors are $12 each.

household hazardous waste

and useable paint

(during collection times ONLY)
Schedule online or call DPW at 617-796-1000 by 3:30pm the business day before your collection day. Limit of 5 items/bundles.
*Look in the phone book under "rubbish or trash removal " or check out our C&D guide

Schedule online or call our vendor, CRT Recycling, at 617-796-1904

Requests for Saturday must be made by 5pm Wednesday.

 Recycling Depot at Rumford Ave

Make more room in your cart by breaking, cutting, crushing trash and RECYCLE MORE! Compost! Donate useable materials! Click to learn more about:

Still cannot fit all your trash in your cart?

Please see guidelines for Additional or Overflow trash.

Want a smaller cart?

You can swap your 64-gallon cart for a 35-gallon cart during specified periods. Contact Environmental Affairs at 617-796-1471 for more information.

The size of the cart was selected for several reasons:

  1. In a survey conducted in 2007, 88% of the households could fit trash into this cart;
  2. The cart will encourage more recycling;
  3. The average household in Newton produces approximately 40 lbs of trash per week.
  4. NOTE: The new blue carts will hold the same amount as two large standard trash bags (each holds 35 lbs) or five small kitchen trash bags (each holds 20 lbs) or two 35-gallon barrels (each holds 40 lbs)
  5. In the pilot survey, 82% of the participants stated that the 64-gallon carts held their weekly trash without a problem.