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πŸ—‘οΈ Trash & Recycling/Pickup Rules & Schedules

Pickup Rules & Schedules: Wakefield vs Waltham

How do pickup rules & schedules rules compare between Wakefield, MA and Waltham, MA?

Wakefield and Waltham have similar restriction levels.

Wakefield, MA

Middlesex County

Some Restrictions

Each Middlesex County municipality runs its own curbside collection. Cambridge, Somerville, and Newton use Pay-As-You-Throw or standardized carts with weekly pickup.

View full Wakefield rules β†’

Waltham, MA

Middlesex County

Some Restrictions

Waltham provides weekly curbside trash and recycling collection on scheduled routes. Residents must use approved containers and place waste curbside by 7:00 AM on collection day.

View full Waltham rules β†’

Key Facts Comparison

FactWakefieldWaltham
State LawMGL c.21H-
Waste Bans310 CMR 19.017-
Food Waste BanOver 1/2 ton (Nov 2022)-
Cambridge CompostMandatory curbside-
Set-Out TimeEvening before or 7 a.m.By 7:00 AM, after 5:00 PM night before
Collection Frequency-Weekly
Recycling Type-Single-stream, blue cart
Holiday Delay-1 day shift
Report Missed Pickup-DPW (781) 314-3855

Highlighted rows indicate differences between cities.

Wakefield FAQ

When is my trash day?

Collection days vary by street. Use your city website or download the Recycle Coach or Recyclopedia app to look up your address.

Can I put yard waste in my trash?

No. Yard waste is banned from disposal under 310 CMR 19.017. Use the separate yard waste collection or a municipal compost site.

Waltham FAQ

When is my Waltham trash day?

Collection days vary by address. Check the DPW website or the Waltham Recycle Coach app for your schedule.

What time must trash be out?

Place trash and recycling curbside by 7:00 AM on collection day, but no earlier than 5:00 PM the night before.

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