New Bedford, MA Trash & Recycling: Bulk Item Disposal (2026)
Key Facts
- Bulky item definition
- White goods, CRTs, upholstered furniture
- Set-out timing
- Only scheduled or director-designated collection day
- Fine
- Up to $300 per offense, each day separate
- Removal deadline
- 24 hours to remove after violation notice
- CRT pickup
- By contractor appointment only, not regular route
Summary
New Bedford residents may set bulky items such as furniture, mattresses, white goods and CRTs curbside only on the collection day the director schedules or designates, per Code of Ordinances § 16-74(i). Items placed out early, on the wrong day, or generated outside the city violate § 16-79, and unlawfully placed material must be removed by the owner within 24 hours of notice.
(i)Customers who receive curbside collection of solid waste by the city or its contractor may place bulky items curbside, in accordance with the rules and regulations, on the day scheduled for collection or on the date designated by the director or his designee. Owners shall be responsible to ensure that bulky items are placed curbside only on the day and at the time specified in the rules and regulations, or on the date designated by the director or his designee and that only bulky items generated within the city shall be placed curbside for collection.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 19).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 16, Article IV of the New Bedford Code of Ordinances defines a 'bulky item' at § 16-71 as any individual item too large or heavy for a standard trash barrel, including white goods and metal bulk waste, cathode ray tubes (CRTs), and upholstered furniture such as chairs, beds, mattresses and sofas. Section 16-74(i) lets customers who receive city curbside collection place bulky items out only on their regular collection day or on a date the director specifically designates, and only material generated within New Bedford qualifies.
CRTs are handled separately: § 16-71 requires the contractor to collect them by appointment rather than on the regular route. White goods containing freon, such as refrigerators, freezers and air conditioners, must be kept upright at all times per the same definitions section. The director of the Department of Facilities and Fleet Management, and the director of health for storage and collection matters, enforce these rules under § 16-72. c. 40, § 58 after 30 days.
Violations & Fines
Violating New Bedford's bulky-item rules carries a fine up to $300 per offense under § 16-84(c), with each day and each separate subsection treated as its own violation, or the city may pursue a noncriminal disposition capped at $300 per M.G.L.A. c. 40, § 21D. Properties racking up five or more violation notices on five separate dates can have curbside collection suspended under § 16-84(e) after notice and a hearing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as a bulky item in New Bedford?
When can I put bulky items at the curb?
What happens if I leave a mattress at the curb on the wrong day?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in New Bedford
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Bulk Item Disposal in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Bristol County handle bulk item disposal.