Medford, MA Trash & Recycling: Pickup Rules & Schedules (2026)
Key Facts
- Earliest set-out time
- 7:00 p.m. night before collection
- Placement location
- Outer edge of sidewalk, unobstructed
- Cardboard/box limit
- Flattened, tied, 50 lbs max per parcel
- Container type
- Must be DPW-authorized
- Default penalty
- Up to $300 per offense (§ 1-13)
Summary
Medford's Department of Public Works sets exact placement rules for household trash under City Code § 70-4. Receptacles must sit at the sidewalk's outer edge without blocking foot traffic, and residents cannot set them out before 7:00 p.m. the evening before the scheduled collection day. Section 70-5 requires a DPW-authorized container and limits cardboard bundles to 50 pounds, flattened and tied.
All receptacles containing ashes or rubbish shall be placed on the outer edge of the sidewalk, and shall be placed in such a manner; so that the free flow of travel on the sidewalk is not obstructed thereby. No such receptacles containing ashes or rubbish shall be placed on the sidewalk earlier than 7:00 p.m. of the day immediately preceding the day appointed by the city for the collection of the receptacles. ... (a)No containers for any refuse shall be used unless of a type authorized by the director of public works.(b)No collection shall be made of boxes or containers composed in whole or in part of paper, cardboard or fiberboard or similar substance, unless such items are flattened and tied into separate parcels weighing not more than 50 pounds each.
Full Breakdown
The City of Medford regulates residential trash pickup through Chapter 70 of the Revised Ordinances. Section 70-4 requires every receptacle containing ashes or rubbish to be placed on the outer edge of the sidewalk in a manner that does not obstruct the free flow of pedestrian travel. Residents may not set containers out earlier than 7:00 p.m. on the evening immediately preceding the day the city has appointed for collection at that address, which prevents trash from sitting curbside for a full day before pickup.
Section 70-5 adds container standards: the Director of Public Works must authorize the type of container used, and any boxes or containers made wholly or partly of paper, cardboard or fiberboard will not be collected unless they are flattened, tied into separate parcels, and each parcel weighs no more than 50 pounds. These placement and container rules sit inside Chapter 70, Article I, which also bars scavenging recyclables set out for the city's program (§ 70-7) and lets the police chief or health director order accumulated waste removed from private property within seven days (§ 70-1).
Because neither § 70-4 nor § 70-5 states its own fine, a violation falls under the citywide general penalty in § 1-13: a penalty of up to $300.00 per offense, with each day a violation continues counted as a separate offense. Medford Police officers and Department of Public Works staff can act on placement violations, and the city may simply skip a pickup where a container is not the authorized type or a bundle exceeds the 50-pound limit.
Violations & Fines
Placing trash out before 7:00 p.m. the night before collection, blocking the sidewalk with a receptacle, using an unauthorized container, or bundling cardboard over 50 pounds violates §§ 70-4 and 70-5. Absent a specific fine in those sections, the citywide general penalty in § 1-13 applies: up to $300.00 per offense, with each day of a continuing violation treated as a separate offense enforceable by the city.
Frequently Asked Questions
When can I put my trash out for pickup in Medford?
What kind of trash container does Medford require?
Can I take recyclables someone else set out for pickup?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Medford
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