Carts and bins must be placed at the curb the evening before pickup and removed by the end of collection day. Bins cannot block sidewalks or fire hydrants.
Middlesex County municipalities regulate trash and recycling bin placement through DPW rules and local bylaws. Cambridge DPW requires carts at the curb by 6:00 a.m. on collection day and removed by 10:00 p.m. Somerville allows set-out after 5:00 p.m. the prior evening and requires removal by the end of collection day. Bins must not block sidewalks, ramps, fire hydrants, crosswalks, or driveways. Cart handles should face the house. Between collections carts must be stored on private property out of the public right-of-way, typically in side or rear yards. Violations range from 25 to 100 dollar fines and repeat offenders may lose cart service. Multi-family buildings with private dumpsters must keep containers on private property and maintain screening required by local zoning.
Contact your local code enforcement office for specific penalty information.
Middlesex County, MA
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Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Middlesex County.
See how other cities in Middlesex County handle bin placement rules.
See how Wakefield's bin placement rules rules stack up against other locations.
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