Recycling Requirements: Lowell vs Somerville
How do recycling requirements rules compare between Lowell, MA and Somerville, MA?
Lowell has fewer restrictions than Somerville.
Lowell, MA
Middlesex County
Lowell offers weekly single-stream curbside recycling. Paper, cardboard, metal cans, and accepted plastics must be clean and placed in the city recycling bin on collection day.
View full Lowell rules →Somerville, MA
Middlesex County
Somerville requires single-stream recycling weekly alongside trash. Massachusetts bans cardboard, paper, metal, glass, and certain plastics from trash. Contaminated recycling bins may be rejected.
View full Somerville rules →Key Facts Comparison
| Fact | Lowell | Somerville |
|---|---|---|
| Collection | Weekly single stream | - |
| Accepted Plastics | #1, #2, #5 | - |
| Not Accepted | Bags, film, tanglers | - |
| State Ban | MassDEP bans listed recyclables from trash | - |
| Contamination | Can reject whole load | Warning then skip |
| Frequency | - | Weekly, same day as trash |
| Stream | - | Single-stream blue cart |
| MA waste bans | - | 310 CMR 19.017 |
| Plastic bags | - | Prohibited in recycling |
Highlighted rows indicate differences between cities.
Lowell FAQ
Do I need to separate paper from containers?
No. Lowell uses single-stream; everything recyclable goes in the same bin.
Are pizza boxes accepted?
Clean pizza boxes are accepted; greasy portions should be torn off and thrown away.
Somerville FAQ
Do I need to separate paper and containers?
No. Somerville uses single stream so all accepted recyclables go in one blue cart, but items must be clean and dry.
What about food waste?
Somerville offers a free curbside compost program for residents. Sign up through the DPW website to receive a kitchen bin and weekly collection.
Compare other topics
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