How Somerville Handles Trash & Recycling: A Practical Guide

Somerville maintains 147 local ordinances across all categories, and 9 of those deal specifically with trash & recycling. Here is a breakdown of what the city actually requires, what is prohibited, and where Somerville falls on the strict-to-permissive spectrum compared to other cities.

Collection Schedule

Buildings with seven or more units that want city trash pickup pay $150 per unit annually under Sec. 11-35, and every one of Sec. 11-31's timing, placement and container rules applies just as it does to single-family homes. Owners must use city pickup, a licensed private hauler, or a licensed disposal site, no other option.

Key details: City collection fee: $150.00 per unit, paid annually in advance. Applies to: dwellings with 7 or more units. Mandatory options: city pickup, licensed hauler, or licensed disposal site. Fee-change notice: 90 days advance notice from the mayor. Court penalty: up to $300.00 per day of violation.

A violation of Section 11-35 is handled through the noncriminal disposition procedure of Chapter 40, Section 21D of the General Laws and, if pursued in court, carries a fine of up to $300.00 per day for each day the violation continues. The violator must also remove any improperly disposed trash at their own expense or reimburse the city for doing so.

Bin Placement Rules

Somerville residents must hold refuse at the curb until 4:00 p.m. the day before pickup and have it out by 7:00 a.m. on collection day under Code of Ordinances Sec. 11-31(g). Containers can't top 50 pounds or 64 gallons, and empty barrels must leave the sidewalk by 7:00 p.m. on pickup day.

Key details: Set-out window: 4:00 p.m. day before to 7:00 a.m. collection day. Barrels off sidewalk by: 7:00 p.m. on collection day. Max container size: 50 lbs or 64-gallon barrel. Collection frequency: one day weekly per address. Bundled paper limit: 50 lbs, securely tied.

Violating the trash placement rules is punishable by a fine under Code of Ordinances Section 1-11, enforceable through the noncriminal disposition procedure of Chapter 401 of the Acts of 1977 (General Laws Chapter 40, Section 21D). Nonregulation barrels, including cardboard containers, are treated as bulk items and left uncollected rather than fined on the spot.

Bulk Item Disposal

Somerville won't pick up bulk items as ordinary rubbish. Anything over 75 pounds, too large for one person to handle, or on the code's list, like auto parts and appliances, needs different handling under Sec. 11-31(l), and large appliances need a white-goods sticker from the DPW before they hit the curb.

Key details: Bulk item threshold: over 75 lbs or unmanageable by one person. Appliance requirement: doors removed, white-goods sticker affixed. Building material bundle limit: 4 ft, 24 in diameter, 50 lbs. Building material volume cap: 1 cubic yard per collection. DPW yard drop-off: up to 4 tires, 2 batteries.

A violation of the bulk item rules is punishable by a fine under Section 1-11, pursued through the noncriminal disposition process of Chapter 401 of the Acts of 1977 (G.L. c. 40, § 21D). Dumping household refuse or a bulk item on property other than the resident's own is separately prosecutable under Chapter 270, Section 16 of the General Laws.

Pickup Rules & Schedules

Somerville requires refuse to be set out no earlier than 4:00 p.m. the day before collection and no later than 7:00 a.m. on collection day, with one weekly pickup. Barrels can't exceed 50 pounds or 64 gallons, and empty cans must be off the sidewalk by 7:00 p.m. The Department of Public Works enforces the schedule under Code of Ordinances § 11-31.

Key details: Placement window: 4:00 p.m. day before to 7:00 a.m.. Collection frequency: One day per week. Barrel limit: 50 lbs or 64 gallons. Empty barrels removed by: 7:00 p.m. collection day. Bundled paper goods: Up to 50 lbs.

Violating § 11-31 is punishable by a fine under § 1-11, enforced through the noncriminal disposition process of G.L. c. 40, § 21D. Illegal dumping of household refuse or bulk items on someone else's property can additionally be prosecuted under G.L. c. 270, § 16. Owners remain responsible for removing refuse left at the curb past the collection window.

Yard Waste Collection

Yard waste like tree trimmings, hedge clippings and grass must be cut to no more than three feet, tied in secure bundles, and set out in paper leaf bags or barrels marked with department-issued 'yard waste' stickers. Somerville defines and regulates the material under Code of Ordinances § 11-31.

Key details: Max length: 3 feet for brush/trimmings. Preparation: Securely tied bundles. Approved containers: Paper leaf bags or stickered barrels. Leaf bag spec: 30-gallon kraft, 50-lb wet strength. Excluded items: Earth, stones, tree trunks, large limbs.

Yard waste that violates the bundling, length or container rules is not entitled to collection and can be left at the resident's expense to remove. A violation of § 11-31 generally is punishable by a fine under § 1-11, pursued through the noncriminal disposition procedure of G.L. c. 40, § 21D, with continuing violations treated as separate offenses.

Recycling Requirements

Somerville residents must set recyclables out using the same timing as trash, in authorized recycling containers only, never bagged in plastic or mixed with rubbish. Once placed curbside under Code of Ordinances § 11-40(d), recyclables become city property and taking them is a punishable offense.

Key details: Placement timing: Matches § 11-31(g) trash schedule. Container placement: Outer edge of sidewalk. Banned: Plastic bags, mixing with rubbish. Curbside recyclables become: City property. Scavenging penalty: Fine plus restitution per location.

Mixing recyclables with rubbish can get the whole barrel left uncollected under § 11-40(d)(1)c. Scavenging recyclables set out at the curb is a separate violation for each pickup location under § 11-40(d)(1)d, carrying a fine under § 1-11 plus restitution to the city for the value taken, though hand-collecting bottle-bill containers without a vehicle is exempt from that fine.

Recycling Rules

Somerville requires every owner and occupant, residential or commercial, to separate designated recyclable materials from trash under Code of Ordinances § 11-40, regardless of whether the building uses city refuse collection. The commissioner of public works oversees the program and sets which materials must be separated.

Key details: Applies to: All buildings citywide, incl. city-owned. Duty exists: Even without city trash collection. Commercial haulers: Owner pays cost unless using city pickup. Recycling plan: Required on commissioner's request. Materials list set by: Commissioner of public works rules.

A violation of § 11-40 is punishable by a fine under § 1-11, pursued through the noncriminal disposition procedure of G.L. c. 40, § 21D, and applies to the resident, owner or other responsible person. Buildings that don't submit a required recycling plan or that fail to document where their recyclables end up can be cited the same as a building that never separates materials at all.

Illegal Dumping

Somerville bans dumping ashes, building material, yard debris, food waste or any other rubbish, filth or offensive matter, liquid or solid, in catch basins, streets, sidewalks, parks or other public places. Violations are fined $50.00 per offense, enforced by police and health inspectors.

Key details: Prohibited locations: Catch basins, streets, sidewalks, parks. Fine per offense: $50.00. Enforcing personnel: Police and health inspectors. Exception: City council or DPW commissioner permission. Last amended: Effective April 16, 2021.

Dumping trash or rubbish on public property under section 12-3 carries a $50.00 fine per offense, enforced by police officers and health inspectors under the code's noncriminal disposition schedule. Each instance of dumping is treated as a separate offense, and enforcement can proceed without a prior warning since the fine schedule lists no graduated first-offense step for this section.

Dumpster Rules

Somerville requires a Board of Health license for every dumpster of 75 gallons or more, at $100 per unit per year, renewed each June 30. Dumpsters must sit on pavement, stay locked between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m., and cannot be emptied between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. Violators face a $50 daily fine.

Key details: Dumpster license fee: $100 per dumpster, annual. Hauler license fee: $330 per year. Locked hours: 11 p.m. to 7 a.m.. No emptying/removal: 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.. Daily fine: $50 per offense.

Any violation must be corrected within 12 hours of notice unless the Board sets a different deadline; the Department of Public Works can perform the fix at the violator's expense if it isn't. Each day a violation continues is a separate offense carrying a $50 fine. The Board of Health, DPW, Police Department, and Inspectional Services Health Division all enforce the regulations and can suspend or revoke a dumpster or hauler license for repeated failure to sanitize, service, or maintain a dumpster.

The Bottom Line

Somerville'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 Somerville is broadly strict or permissive.

Keep in mind that Somerville can amend these rules at any council meeting. For the most current version of any rule mentioned here, check the specific ordinance page, where we track updates as they happen.