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Trash and Recycling in Large Residential Buildings

Buildings are considered large residential buildings if they have more than six (6) units. Learn how you can set up zero waste opportunities in your building!

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Since January 1, 2003, owners of buildings with more than six (6) residential units have been required by law to provide residents with recycling programs through the purchase, maintenance, and set-out of wheeled carts. These requirements are mandated by the Ordinance Regarding Access to City Recycling Programs for Large Residential Buildings (CBC7-13A).

Trash and recycling services in big buildings may be different from buildings with 6 units or less. The City of Boston is dedicated to reducing our waste. You can help by participating in our waste reduction programs and by managing your waste responsibly. Remember to think about if an item can be reused, recycled, or donated before you throw it in the trash.

Sign-Up for Trash and Recycling Collection Services

If you are interested in receiving trash and recycling collection services for your large residential building, please fill out the form below. Make sure you have read the trash and recycling responsibilities before completing this form. 

trash and recycling for large residential buildings sign-up   

Trash Responsibilities

Trash

The City of Boston offers free curbside trash and recycling services. They are serviced together and picked up in separate trucks. To work out a trash and recycling program with the city, fill out this form. 

Read below for instructions on setting up trash services with the city. 

Trash receptacle PREPERATION
  • You need to buy trash receptacles that range in size from 64-gallons to 2-cubic yards.
  • All receptacles must have lids. 
  • All receptacles must be made of metal or durable plastic.
  • All receptacles must be serviced regularly.
  • 2 yard receptacles must be rear loading. 
  • Receptacles smaller than 2 yards must have lift pocket and lift bar. 
  • Receptacles must not overfill, this leads to spillage and critters.
  • Receptacles must not exceed 2-cubic yards. Any building that has trash receptacles greater than 2-cubic yards are required to use a private hauling service. 
EDUCATE YOUR TENANTS
  • It is your job to educate your tenants on their responsibilities as residents. 
trash procedure
  • Trash receptacles must be curbside by 6 a.m. on collection day.
  • Wait until after 5 p.m. the evening before your collection day to bring trash receptacles curbside to avoid spillage and code violations.
  • Take trash receptacles off the curb as soon as possible after pickup.
PROGRAM MAINTENANCE 
  • It is your responsibility to purchase and maintain trash receptacles, broken receptacles must be replaced. 
  • All trash materials must be bagged correctly in 2 ply or .9 millimeter or greater plastic material. 
  • Kitchen bags, grocery bags, or cardboard boxes cannot be used as trash bags.
CODE VIOLATION
  • If you don’t comply with our regulations, you may receive a ticket from our Code Enforcement Division. 
  • Residents can report offenses to Boston 311.

appeal a code violation

pay a code violation

NEED HELP? FILL OUT A SERVICE REQUEST.
THINK BEFORE YOU TRASH
  • Before you choose to throw waste in the trash, find out if it can be recycled, reused, or donated.
  • To learn more about the City’s waste reduction programs, visit our Zero Waste page. 
  • For the safety of our employees, please do not place medical waste in your trash. Click here to learn where to safely dispose of syringes and needles.
  • The City of Boston does not collect construction debris, automotive parts, plumbing fixtures, fences, water heaters, or fire debris. Please find a local private hauler to collect these items. 
PICKUP OF FURNITURE
  • Furniture can be put out with your normal curbside trash and recycling on your scheduled collection day.
  • Make sure furniture is neatly placed next to trash receptacles.
CODE VIOLATION TICKETS
  • If you don’t comply with our regulations, you may receive a ticket from our Code Enforcement Division. 
  • Residents can report offenses to Boston 311.

appeal A code violation

pay A code violation

Need Help? Fill out a service request.

Recycling Responsibilities

Recycling

The City of Boston offers free curbside trash and recycling services. They are serviced together and picked up in separate trucks. To work out a trash and recycling program with the city, fill out this form. 

Read below for instructions on setting up recycling services with the city. 

cart preparation
  • You need to buy blue recycling carts that range in size from 64 to 96 gallons. You can mix paper, bottles, cans, and plastic containers in the carts. 
  • All carts must have lids, lift pocket, and lift bar.
  • All carts must be serviced regularly.
  • Carts must not be overfilled. This leads to spillage and code violations.
  • Recommended number of 96-gallon carts for purchase
    • 7-10 units: 3 carts
    • 11-15 units: 4 carts
    • 16-20 units: 5 carts
    • 21-25 units: 6 carts, etc, adding 1 more cart for every 5 units.
  • Some cart distributors:
    • All Brands Corporation 
      • Phone: 617-254-6007
      • Address: 319 Washington St Brighton, MA 02135 
    • AJ Equipment
      • Phone: 1-800-354-5623
      • Address: 490 Centre Ave Abington, MA 02351 
    • Select Home Depot Stores
      • South Bay
        • Phone: 617-442-6110
        • Address: 5 Allstate Road Boston, MA 02125
      • West Roxbury
        • Phone: 617-327-5000
        • Address: 1213 VWF Parkway West Roxbury, MA 02132
educate your tenants
  • It is your job to educate your tenants on their responsibilities as residents. 
  • Tell new tenants to download the Trash Day App for collection day reminders and to use the waste sorting tool. 
recycling procedure
  • Your recycling day is the same as your trash day.
  • Recycling carts must be curbside by 6 a.m. on collection day.
  • Wait until after 5 p.m. the evening before your collection day to bring carts curbside to avoid spillage and code violations.
  • Take carts off the curb as soon as possible after pickup.
program maintenance 
  • It is your responsibility to purchase and maintain the carts. If carts go missing, they must be replaced. If the number of carts is not enough to contain the building's recycling, you must provide an adequate number.
  • Recycling guides must be posted in a clearly visible location by the main entrance of the building or on recycling carts.
  • Electronic recycling guides must be sent to each resident within 14 calendar days of the residents residency. 
grounds for rejection
  • Recycling will be rejected if contamination from garbage is found in recycling carts, or failure to put out recycling carts. Garbage pickup may be suspended until recycling issues are corrected. 
  • You may opt out of these requirements by purchasing private waste collection services. 
code violation tickets
  • If you don’t comply with our regulations, you may receive a ticket from our Code Enforcement Division. 
  • Residents can report offenses to Boston 311.

appeal a code violation

pay a code violation

NEED HELP? FILL OUT A SERVICE REQUEST.
recycle right!
  • Use the waste sorting tool on our Trash Day App to learn what you can and can't recycle. 
  • Flatten cardboard boxes to save room in your bin!
  • Plastic shopping bags, styrofoam, and bubble wrap cannot be recycled.  
code violation ticket
  • If you don’t comply with our regulations, you may receive a ticket from our Code Enforcement Division. 
  • Residents can report offenses to Boston 311.

appeal A code violation

paY A code violation

Need help? Fill out a service request. 

Food Waste Drop-Off Programs

Food Waste

The City of Boston does not currently collect curbside food waste for buildings with more than six units. Find a drop-off location where you can bring your food scraps!

Project Oscar

Project Oscar is Boston’s 24-hour community compost pilot program.
Farmers Market Food Waste Drop-off

We are partnering with local Boston farmers markets to bring community food waste drop-off locations to more Boston...

Clothing and Textile Recycling

In compliance with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection’s policy, beginning November 1, the City of Boston will not accept clothing and textiles in curbside trash. 

The City of Boston offers two options for residents to dispose of their unwanted clothing and textiles.

  1. drop boxes conveniently located throughout the City, and
  2. curbside textile collection.

Items that are soiled, wet, or moldy should still be placed in your curbside trash for collection. 

what building owners/managers can do:
  • Organize a clothing and textile drive for your residents!
  1. Identify a location.
    • Find a central location in your building for tenants to bring their unwanted clothing and textiles. 
  2. Educate your tenants.
    • Clarify the items they can bring.
    • Accepted clothing and textiles can be found here. 
  3. Schedule an appointment.
    • Once 3 or more bags are filled, schedule an appointment with our partners at Helpsy for curbside pickup.

Home Pickup Request — HELPSY™

what residents can do:
  • Schedule an appointment with our partners at Helpsy for curbside pickup if you have 3 or more bags.
  • Bring unwanted clothing and textiles to one of our drop-off locations!

Mattress Recycling

Recycling mattresses is a state (Department of Environmental Protection) requirement as of November 1, 2022. The City of Boston does not collect mattresses for buildings with more than six (6) units. To dispose of a mattress, you need to contact a mattress recycling hauler.

here are Some local mattress recycling haulers:
  1. HandUp Mattress Recycling & Upcycling
  2. Classic Cleanouts
    • Junk hauling service, pick-up service
    • Phone: 781-558-2626
  3. Green Mattress
  4. Raw Material Recovery Corp.

You can search for more local mattress recycling haulers using the Beyond the Bin search tool. 

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