Trash & Recycling in Nashua, NH: What Residents Actually Need to Know

If you live in Nashua or are thinking about moving there, trash & recycling are one of those things you probably won't think about until they affect you directly. Nashua has 3 specific rules on the books covering different aspects of trash & recycling, and some of them might surprise you.

Pickup Rules & Schedules

Residential trash and recycling collection in Nashua is provided directly by the City of Nashua Division of Public Works, Solid Waste Department — not by a private contractor. Weekly curbside pickup of trash and seasonal soft yard waste serves most residences, and single-stream recycling is collected biweekly on the same day as trash pickup, using an alternating Week A / Week B schedule. Customer service contact is 603-589-3410. The Solid Waste Department also operates the Four Hills Landfill at 840 West Hollis Street and the Nashua Recycling Center. Overflow trash that does not fit in the cart with the lid closed must be tagged with a $5 sticker or hauled to the landfill.

Key details: Service Provider: City of Nashua Division of Public Works, Solid Waste Department. Trash Frequency: Weekly curbside (plus seasonal soft yard waste). Recycling Frequency: Biweekly single-stream (Week A / Week B). Set-Out Time: By 6:45 a.m. on collection day; no earlier than 24 hours before. Cart Removal: By end of collection day.

Improperly set-out carts, late set-outs, or carts with lids lifted due to overflow are skipped at the driver's discretion under city policy and the customer must wait for the next service day or arrange a landfill drop-off. Repeated illegal dumping in the public right-of-way is enforceable under RSA 149-M:9 (Prohibitions) and the Nashua Revised Ordinances, with civil penalties and cleanup-cost recovery. Statewide solid-waste enforcement is handled by NHDES under Env-Sw rules and RSA 149-M:13. Placing prohibited items in curbside trash — household hazardous waste, electronics (e-waste), rechargeable lithium-ion batteries (banned from NH landfills effective July 1, 2025), or commercial waste — violates state law and is enforceable by NHDES.

Bulk Item Disposal

The City of Nashua Division of Public Works, Solid Waste Department, picks up the first 5 oversized items per residential account per year at NO charge through its curbside bulky-item program; additional items are $25 each. Curbside oversize pickup runs mid-April through mid-October only. Requests must be submitted by Friday afternoon for the following week's pickup. Electronics and construction and demolition (C&D) debris are NOT collected curbside but can be brought to the Four Hills Landfill / Nashua Recycling Center at 840 West Hollis Street. Household hazardous waste is handled at scheduled HHW collection events. Effective July 1, 2025, rechargeable lithium-ion batteries are prohibited from NH landfills and incinerators.

Key details: Service Provider: City of Nashua DPW, Solid Waste Department. Curbside Bulky Allowance: First 5 items / year FREE; $25 per item after. Curbside Season: Mid-April through mid-October only. Request Deadline: By Friday afternoon for the following week. Brush Rule: Max 60 lbs, branches ≤3 inches diameter, ≤4 feet, tied bundle.

Setting electronics or C&D debris out for curbside collection violates Solid Waste Department policy — they are not picked up. Illegal dumping is enforceable under RSA 149-M:9 (Prohibitions) and the Nashua Revised Ordinances. Disposing of household hazardous waste, electronics covered under NH's product stewardship rules, or (effective July 1, 2025) rechargeable lithium-ion batteries in regular trash violates RSA 149-M and Env-Sw rules and is enforceable by NHDES. Venting refrigerant from an appliance without certified recovery violates federal Clean Air Act Section 608 (40 CFR 82.156) with civil penalties up to $59,973 per day per violation (40 CFR 19 EPA inflation-adjusted). After-hours dumping at Four Hills Landfill is enforceable under the Nashua Revised Ordinances.

Bin Placement Rules

The City of Nashua Division of Public Works, Solid Waste Department, requires automated-collection carts to be positioned at the road edge, within 2 feet of the curb, with at least 3 feet of separation from mailboxes, fences, utility poles, and recycling bins, and at least 10 feet from parked vehicles. The cart handle must face the house. Carts must be set out no earlier than 24 hours before pickup, must be at the curb by 6:45 a.m. on collection day, and must be returned off the public right-of-way by the end of the collection day. Cart lids must be fully closed; overflow carts are skipped.

Key details: Service Provider: City of Nashua DPW, Solid Waste Department. Distance to Curb: Within 2 feet of the curb / road edge. Clearance from Mailbox/Fence/Pole: At least 3 feet. Clearance from Parked Vehicles: At least 10 feet. Cart Orientation: Handle facing the house (lid opens toward street).

Improperly placed, late, or overflowing carts are skipped at the driver's discretion and the customer must wait for the next service day, use a $5 sticker the following week, or haul the trash to the landfill. Leaving carts in the right-of-way past the end of the collection day or storing carts in the public way violates the Solid Waste Department's operational rules. Repeated illegal placement of trash, scavenging from carts, or leaving loose garbage in the right-of-way is enforceable under RSA 149-M:9 (Prohibitions) and the Nashua Revised Ordinances. Use of carts for prohibited materials — household hazardous waste, electronics, lithium-ion rechargeable batteries (banned from NH landfills effective July 1, 2025), construction debris — violates RSA 149-M and Env-Sw rules and is enforceable by NHDES.

The Bottom Line

Nashua's trash & recycling rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Nashua is broadly strict or permissive.

This guide is based on Nashua's current municipal code. Local rules can and do change, so check the individual ordinance pages for the latest details, penalties, and FAQs.