Trash Pickup Schedule Day • Massachusetts

Boston, MA Trash, Recycling, Yard & Food-Waste Pickup Schedule (2026) — The Complete Guide

Everything Boston residents typically need in one place: weekly trash, recycling cadence by route (weekly or every-other-week),
yard waste seasons, bulk/special item pickup by appointment (with yearly limits),
Zero Waste Day drop-offs (HHW/e-waste), food-waste options, holiday delays, and how to report missed service.

Important: In Boston, your trash day is weekly, but recycling cadence can vary by route
(some addresses are weekly, others every other week). Always confirm by address in the City’s official tool/app.


🔎 Address lookup & Trash Day tools (Official)

Use Boston’s official schedule tools to see your exact trash day, recycling day and your recycling cadence
(weekly or every-other-week), plus yard-waste weeks and holiday adjustments.

Step-by-step

  1. Open the official Boston tool: Find Your Collection Schedule
  2. Enter your address and confirm your trash day + recycling cadence.
  3. During holiday weeks, re-check the tool/app for slide delays.

Tip: If you manage a building, save the address result so you can reference cadence quickly.

🕒 Set-out rules (Boston)

Set-out timing is one of the biggest reasons people miss collection. Use these Boston rules:

✅ Put materials out

  • By 6:00 a.m. on collection day
  • Or after 5:00 p.m. the night before
  • Keep lids closed when using bins/carts

📏 Placement

  • Keep access clear (leave about 2–3 feet clearance)
  • Don’t block sidewalks or street access
  • Keep bags/bins where crews can safely reach them

🛠️ Containers & issues

  • Bin repair/replace requests go through BOS:311
  • Use official tools for alerts and delay notices

🗑️ Services overview (trash + recycling cadence)

Boston provides weekly trash citywide. Boston recycling is single-stream, but the pickup cadence can vary by route
(weekly or every other week). Confirm your cadence by address in the official tool.

Quick overview

Service Typical frequency Notes
Trash Weekly Confirm your exact day by address
Recycling (single-stream) Weekly or every other week Cadence varies by route — check official lookup
Yard waste Seasonal (scheduled weeks) Typically on your trash day during season weeks

Want a quick US-wide “what goes where” cheat sheet? Use our guide:
Trash vs. Recycling (US).

♻️ Recycling — accepted & not accepted (Boston single-stream)

Boston recycling is single-stream. Keep items empty, dry, and loose to reduce contamination.
If you’re unsure about an item, the official schedule tools often include item guidance.

✅ Put in your blue bin

  • Paper & flattened cardboard
  • Glass bottles & jars
  • Metal cans, foil & trays
  • Rigid plastics (bottles, jugs, tubs)
  • Cartons (juice/soup)

🚫 Keep out of recycling

  • Plastic bags/film; hoses/cords (tanglers)
  • Food/liquids; foam foodware
  • Batteries, electronics, propane tanks

Pro tip: Keep recyclables loose (not bagged), and keep them dry to prevent paper contamination.

🌿 Leaf & yard waste (seasonal) + Christmas trees

Boston yard waste runs on scheduled season weeks and is commonly collected on your trash day during those weeks.
If you have two trash days per week, yard waste is typically collected on the first collection day.

  • Use paper yard bags or labeled barrels — no plastic bags.
  • Christmas trees: typically picked up the first two weeks of January on your recycling day. Remove all decorations.

Yard-waste calendar (PDF): Download the season calendar

🥕 Food-waste (compost) — curbside & drop-off

Boston offers food-waste options, including free curbside collection for eligible buildings and drop-off options.

  • Curbside food-waste collection: free for buildings with 6 units or fewer. Enrollment may be full at times; join the waitlist.
  • While waiting, use neighborhood drop-offs and Zero Waste Day options listed by the City.

Official program page: Curbside Food Waste Collection

📦 Bulk / special items (by appointment)

Boston bulk/special items are scheduled by appointment through BOS:311. The City applies yearly limits.

  • Schedule via BOS:311 (web/app/phone).
  • Limit: typically 10 items per calendar year.
  • Per appointment: typically up to 5 items.
  • Some items (mattresses, appliances) may require special preparation.

Book bulk/special pickup: Special Collection Items

Textiles: Boston partners with HELPSY for textile pickup by appointment and drop-off bins around the city.

🧪 Zero Waste Days (HHW, e-waste & banned items)

Several Saturdays per year, Boston hosts Zero Waste Day events where residents can drop off household hazardous waste,
electronics, and other waste-ban items. Check the current schedule and accepted materials before you go.

Official Zero Waste Day schedule: Zero Waste Day

🎉 Holiday delays (“slide” weeks)

On many City-observed holidays, collections may slide one day later in affected neighborhoods.
Always confirm your address in the official tool/app during holiday weeks.

Best practice: Re-check your address schedule before holiday weeks to avoid missed set-outs.

❗ Missed pickup in Boston — what to do

If your trash or recycling wasn’t collected, this is the fastest process:

  1. Recheck set-out rules (by 6:00 a.m.), lids closed, access/spacing, and confirm it was your scheduled day/cadence.
  2. Check official tools for weather/holiday delay notices.
  3. Report the missed pickup via BOS:311 (web/app/phone) and leave materials out until serviced.

Official schedule/lookup: Find Your Collection Schedule

FAQ — Boston trash & recycling

What day is trash pickup in Boston?

Trash is collected weekly. Use Boston’s official address lookup/Trash Day tools to see your exact day, recycling cadence, yard-waste weeks, and holiday adjustments.

Is recycling weekly or every other week in Boston?

It depends on the route. Some addresses have weekly recycling, others every other week. Check your address in the City’s schedule tool to confirm.

How do I schedule a bulk pickup in Boston?

Bulk/special items are scheduled by appointment through BOS:311. The City typically limits you to 10 items per calendar year,
and up to 5 items per appointment.

When is leaf and yard waste collected?

Yard waste is collected during scheduled season weeks, typically on your trash day. Use paper yard bags or labeled barrels (no plastic bags). Check the City calendar for the current season.

Does Boston offer food-waste pickup?

Yes. Boston offers free curbside food-waste collection for buildings with 6 units or fewer (enrollment may be full; join the waitlist). Drop-off options are also available.

Do holidays delay collection?

Often, yes—collections can slide one day later in affected neighborhoods during City-observed holidays. Always confirm your address schedule during holiday weeks.


☎️ Official links & contacts (Boston)