Trash & Recycling in Springfield, MA (2026)
10 verified trash & recycling rules for Springfield, Massachusetts, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Pickup Rules & Schedules
Springfield requires rubbish to be drained of liquids and placed in an approved cart at the curb on the tree belt, not the road, before crews will collect it.
Springfield Rubbish Container Pickup Rules
Some RestrictionsSpringfield City Code § 327-2
No rubbish shall be collected by the Waste Disposal Division of the Department of Public Works, or its authorized agent, unless the rubbish is drained of all water and liquids and placed in one or more carts in accordance with the provisions of this chapter placed at the curb on the tree belt (not in the road), to better facilitate both street sweeping and snow plowing operations.
Bin Placement Rules
Springfield, Massachusetts rubbish containers may go to the tree belt no earlier than sunset the night before pickup and must be off it by midnight on collection day, or owners face up to a $250 fine.
Springfield, MA Trash Cart Set-Out Rules
Some RestrictionsSpringfield City Code § 327-7
Rubbish containers shall be placed on the tree belt, so as to be readily accessible to collection crews, no later than 6:00 a.m. on the day of collection, except that no such container shall be placed upon said tree belt sooner than sunset on the day prior to collection nor shall said containers be caused to remain on said tree belt later than 12:00 midnight on the day of said collection. ... A...
Bulk Item Disposal
Springfield, Massachusetts residents must call 311 for a bulk-item pickup appointment and buy a sticker per item, with mattress and box-spring collection capped at 15 units per address a year.
Springfield, MA Bulk Trash Pickup Rules
Some RestrictionsSpringfield City Code § 327-6
A parcel must be actively opted in to trash services and be current with their payment of the trash fee in order to take advantage of bulk pickup services and yard waste collection. Yard waste and bulk items (which is not yard waste) and all odd pieces of lumber, completely free of nails, shall be securely tied in bundles, the greatest dimension of which shall not exceed three feet in length an...
Recycling Requirements
Springfield requires every occupant citywide, homes, businesses, nonprofits, and city buildings alike, to separate recyclables from trash, not only households on City pickup.
Springfield MA Mandatory Recycling Law
Heavy RestrictionsSpringfield City Code § 327-19
It shall be mandatory for each occupant in the City of Springfield to separate all designated recyclable materials from other refuse in accordance with the provisions of this section: A. Buildings which receive City solid waste collection services. It shall be mandatory for each owner or occupant of a building which receives City solid waste collection services to separate from other refuse ...
Holiday Pickup Schedule
Springfield, Massachusetts allows licensed waste haulers to collect residential trash, recycling, and yard waste outside normal hours to accommodate national holidays, under City Code § 401-5.
Springfield MA Holiday Trash Pickup Shift
Light RestrictionsSpringfield City Code § 401-5
No individual residential collection of waste, recyclables or yard waste shall be made, except between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Individual residential collection operations outside these hours may also be conducted to accommodate recognized national holidays or a special pick-up herein defined. Customers shall be reasonably notified of the specific day for ...
Illegal Dumping
Springfield, Massachusetts bans dumping litter, garbage, or rubbish on any street, sidewalk, public place, vacant lot, or private property, with escalating per-day fines for repeat violations.
Springfield Illegal Dumping and Litter Ban
Some RestrictionsSpringfield City Code § 327-13 (Litter and overgrowth)
No person shall throw or deposit litter in or upon any street, sidewalk or other public place within the City except in public receptacles for that purpose... No person shall throw or deposit or cause to have thrown or deposited any litter on any open or vacant property within the City, whether owned by such person or not... A person violating any provision of Subsections A through L of this se...
Yard Waste Collection
Springfield runs a mandatory curbside yard-waste program: leaves, grass, and small branches must go in paper leaf bags, never plastic, during the April-to-December season.
Springfield Yard Waste Collection Rules
Some RestrictionsSpringfield City Code § 327-4A(1)
There is hereby established a program for the mandatory separation of certain compostable leaf and yard waste material from garbage or rubbish by the residents of the City of Springfield and the collection of these compostable leaf and yard waste materials at the residents' curbside. The collection of separated compostable leaf and yard waste material shall be made periodically under the superv...
Dumpster Rules
Commercial dumpsters and roll-off containers of six cubic yards or more require an annual Fire Department permit in Springfield, Massachusetts, with a $50 fee charged per dumpster each year.
Springfield, MA Commercial Dumpster Permit Fee
Some RestrictionsSpringfield City Code § 100-7.U
Dumpsters six yards or greater in the aggregate: $50 per dumpster (annual fee). V. Fire protection systems shutdown fee: $50. A fire watch detail may be required at the owner's or applicant's expense, the cost of which shall be determined by the Fire Department in accordance with applicable collective bargaining agreements. W. Wet and dry chemical systems. (1) Wet chemical system permi...
Collection Schedule
Springfield mandates automated weekly trash collection citywide through City-issued carts, charging a $90 annual fee per container, with the option to opt out and hire a private hauler instead.
Springfield Mandatory Weekly Trash Pickup
Some RestrictionsSpringfield City Code § 327-5, Subsections D(5) and F(2)
Automated collection within the City is mandatory in all areas of the City. ... Standard collection service shall include once-a-week collection of acceptable trash in properly placed automated containers in accordance with the provisions of this section.
Recycling Rules
Springfield's DPW-issued recycling carts go out curbside every other week by 6 a.m.; plastic bags and mixed-in trash aren't allowed.
Springfield MA Recycling Cart Rules
Some RestrictionsSpringfield City Code § 327-20
All recycling carts shall be placed at the curbside every other week for collection by 6:00 a.m. on the designated day of collection. The cart shall be placed on the outer edge of the sidewalk so as to not obstruct the free passage of pedestrians. (4) Recyclables shall not be placed in plastic garbage bags for collection, removal or disposal. Recyclables shall not be placed in the same refus...