Worcester, MA Trash and Recycling Collection Schedule

Regular Collection Schedule

• Collection occurs once per week on a designated day assigned to each home
• Find your collection day by entering your address on the collection schedule map
• Place bins curbside between 6 AM – 7:30 AM on your collection day
• Collection occurs Monday through Friday

Holiday Schedule Changes

• If a holiday falls on a weekday, collection is delayed by one day for the remainder of the week
• For example, if the holiday is on Monday, Monday pickup moves to Tuesday, Tuesday to Wednesday, etc.

Major Holidays Impacting Collection

The following holidays result in collection delays:

• New Year’s Day
• Memorial Day
• Juneteenth
• Independence Day
• Labor Day
• Thanksgiving
• Christmas Day

View the current holiday collection schedule

Missed Pickups

If your trash or recycling was not collected on your scheduled day:

• Confirm bins were curbside by 7:30 AM
• Report the missed pickup by calling Worcester 311 or submitting an online request

Recycling Guidelines

• Use the free recycling bins provided by the city
• Do not place plastic bags or unacceptable items in recycling bins
• Review the recycling guide for details on accepted materials

Trash Disposal

• Residents must use city-issued yellow trash bags for waste disposal
• Bags can be purchased at local retailers or at City Hall

Yard Waste Disposal

• Yard waste is collected curbside during spring and fall curbside collections
• Dropoff is available at the residential yard waste site

Hazardous Waste

• Household hazardous waste like chemicals, batteries, propane tanks, etc. must be disposed of properly
• A hazardous waste collection day is held twice per year

Bulk Item Disposal

• Options for disposing of large bulk items include curbside bulk collection weeks in the spring and fall or dropping items off at the residential drop-off center

Learn more about trash, recycling, and disposal programs at WorcesterMA.gov/trash-recycling. Contact Worcester 311 with any other questions!