New Bedford, MA Trash & Recycling: Bin Placement Rules (2026)

Section 16-74(c) requires every owner to store solid waste, recyclables and other materials on their own property, at the rear or side of the building, between collection days. Subsection (d) bars storing those materials in the front yard, defined at § 16-71 as the area between the street line, the building's front, and the two side lot lines; the only exception is when no other location exists on the lot, in which case the director may allow front storage if the owner shows it will be adequately screened from view and won't hurt the neighborhood.

On collection day itself, § 16-74(f) requires customers to set solid waste out curbside in acceptable containers only on the day and at the time scheduled for collection, and § 16-71 defines curbside as at the curb or no more than five feet back from it, or, where there is no curb, no more than five feet from the traveled edge of the right-of-way. Items placed farther than five feet back are not considered curbside and will not be picked up. Once the city converts to automated cart collection, § 16-74(g) additionally caps the number of carts a customer can leave out at the number set by the city's cart distribution policy and requires every cart left curbside be fully closed.