Trash & Recycling in Chelsea, MA (2026)
5 verified trash & recycling rules for Chelsea, Massachusetts, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Bin Placement Rules
Chelsea residents may not put solid waste containers at the curb before 7:00 p.m. the night before collection, must have them out by 7:00 a.m. on collection day, and must pull them back in by midnight, under Code of Ordinances § 22-62(a).
Chelsea Trash Container Curbside Set-Out Times
Some RestrictionsChelsea Code of Ordinances § 22-62(a)
(a)Unless otherwise determined through the regulations of the department of municipal inspections, acceptable solid waste shall be placed in suitable containers at the outer edge of the sidewalk appurtenant to the premises of the occupant or owner not later than 7:00 a.m. on the day of scheduled collection, and not earlier than 7:00 p.m. of the day preceding the day of scheduled collection. Reu...
Bulk Item Disposal
Chelsea's solid waste code classifies any item large enough to hold an eight-inch sphere as 'bulk,' a nonacceptable waste that cannot go in a regular container. Residents, landlords and business operators must instead have bulk items removed at intervals frequent enough to prevent a nuisance under Code of Ordinances §§ 22-1 and 22-60.
Chelsea Bulk Waste and Large-Item Disposal Rules
Some RestrictionsChelsea Code of Ordinances §§ 22-1, 22-60
(1)The term "bulk" means any item which, in whole or in part, is a solid mass in which a sphere with a diameter of eight inches could be contained. ... The occupants of every single- or two-family dwelling, the owner or agent of every dwelling housing more than two families, and the owner or operator of any business enterprise shall remove nonacceptable waste at sufficiently frequent intervals ...
Illegal Dumping
It is unlawful in Chelsea to throw, discard or dump litter on any public or private property outside of a lawfully provided container, under Code of Ordinances § 22-24. Dumping from a vehicle creates a legal presumption that the registered owner committed the violation, and fines climb to $300.00 for repeat offenses.
Chelsea Illegal Dumping and Litter Prohibition
Significant RestrictionsChelsea Code of Ordinances § 22-24
(a)It shall be unlawful for any person to throw, discard, place or deposit litter in any manner or amount on any public or private property within the corporate limits of the city, except in containers or areas lawfully provided for in accordance with the provisions of this chapter. ... (c)In the prosecution charging a violation of subsection (a) of this section from a motor vehicle, proof that...
Dumpster Rules
Chelsea licenses dumpsters through the department of municipal inspections and the fire department, requiring screening in residential areas and barring filling between 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. on residential property, under Code of Ordinances §§ 22-111 through 22-115.
Chelsea Commercial Dumpster Placement and Hours
Significant RestrictionsChelsea Code of Ordinances §§ 22-112—22-114
Each dumpster must be located at a distance from the lot line so as not to interfere with the safety, convenience or health of abutters and residents and the public, and not to damage the physical integrity of the curb and sidewalk. ... All dumpsters in residential areas shall be covered with a screen. ... No dumpster shall be filled between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. in or upon resi...
Collection Schedule
Every Chelsea residence served by city or contracted collection must keep enough container capacity for its normal trash between pickups, and acceptable solid waste is collected only on the schedule the department of public works publishes, under Code of Ordinances §§ 22-29 and 22-62.
Chelsea Residential Trash Collection Requirements
Some RestrictionsChelsea Code of Ordinances §§ 22-29, 22-62(b)
(a)All residences located in any area in which collection is by the city or approved contractors shall have sufficient container capacity to accommodate their normal volume of solid waste between collections. ... (b)Acceptable solid waste shall be collected in accordance with a schedule published by the department of public works.