Solid Waste

Preparation of Material

  • Each household may put out up to two 32-gallon barrels or bags of trash and one bulk item per week (except on holiday weeks).
  • Barrels may not be filled more than three inches above top of barrel
  • Trash must fit inside the 32-gallon barrels
  • Our hauler is not required to empty "snow-coned" barrels
  • Any household trash in excess of two 32-gallon containers must be in the official blue town overflow trash bags available for $2 each in rolls of five (i.e., $10 for a sleeve of five bags) at:
    • Chelmsford Lumber on Boston Road
    • Hannaford in Drum Hill
    • Maxwell’s on Maple Road
    • Pine Tree Market on Boston Road
    • Stop and Shop on Chelmsford Street
  • There is no limit on the number of overflow bags you may use each week.
  • Trash must be at the curb by 6:30 am. The hauler will not return for late set outs.
  • If you followed these guidelines but your trash was missed, call Republic Services at 1-800-442-9006. Please also report any serious or ongoing problems to the Sustainability Manager at 978-250-5203.
  • Multifamily properties with curbside service:
    • Trash Limit: Each household in properties assessed as multifamily properties is entitled to put out up to two barrels of trash per week.
    • Trash barrel stickers: Some homes that are assessed as two or three family residences may appear from the street to be single family homes. In order to make it clear to the trash hauler that each household in such properties is within the two barrel / household limit, trash barrel stickers are available from the Recycling Office (978-250-5203). Only properties assessed as multifamily properties (i.e. not homes with in-law apartments) are entitled to the stickers.
  • Multifamily properties with large metal trash bins / toters:
    • Large multifamily properties use large metal trash bins for trash and toters for recyclables. The blue dumpster is for trash.
      • Some multifamily properties have black dumpsters for single stream recycling. Most multifamily properties have black and yellow and/or green toters for single stream recycling. Never put trash in the recycling dumpster or toters.
    • Trash capacity: Dumpster size and collection frequency paid for by the town have been set to provide 64 gallons of trash disposal capacity / household / week (the same as single family homes). Multifamily properties that exceed this capacity will have to pay for additional capacity on their own. You must recycle so that doesn't happen.
    • Bulk items at dumpster properties: Residents of multifamily properties may dispose of some oversized items (e.g., furniture and mattresses), but these items should not go into the large metal trash bins -click here for information on the disposal of bulk / oversized items at these properties.
    • Trash Collection Schedule: most multifamily dumpsters are emptied on Thursdays although some of the larger properties are collected on Mondays as well. Call 978-250-5203 if you have questions about your schedule.