Trash Pickup and Recycling in Amesbury, MA: The Complete Guide

Located along the Merrimack River, Amesbury operates an efficient trash and recycling collection system for residents. This guide covers everything you need to know about waste and recycling pickups in Amesbury, including collection days, accepted materials, and how to look up your neighborhood’s schedule.

Trash Cart Rollout

In 2023, Amesbury transitioned to automated trash pickup using provided carts:

• Each household received one brown 64-gallon trash cart
• Downtown businesses can get 1-2 carts at no extra cost
• Extra carts are available for $125 per year

Trash must be placed in the cart – no overflow bags or loose trash is collected. Carts are property of the hauler, G. Mello, and are assigned to specific addresses.

Recycling Carts

Amesbury provides one blue 64-gallon recycling cart per household. As with trash, all recyclables must be placed loosely in the cart – no blue bins or overflow bags.

Carts remain property of the city and must stay with the address assigned. Damaged carts are repaired or replaced by G. Mello at no cost.

Collection Schedule

Trash and recycling pickup occurs weekly on set weekdays depending on your neighborhood:

• Monday
• Tuesday
• Wednesday
• Thursday
• Friday

Check the collection day calendar to see your scheduled day.

Recycling Weeks

Amesbury follows an A week/B week schedule for recycling:

• A week recycling collected on your normal day
• B week recycling collected on your normal day
• Weeks alternate – check calendar

So if you have Wednesday recycling, you would set carts out each Wednesday – some for A week, some for B week.

Yard Waste Schedule

Yard waste is collected on your normal recycling day during the weeks marked on the recycling calendar – about 8 times per year.

Accepted materials like leaves, grass, and brush must be placed in brown paper bags or open barrels labeled as “yard waste.”

Bulk Item Pickup

Bulk items like furniture must be scheduled for pickup. Amesbury offers monthly bulk collection on the 3rd Monday of each month.

Items allowed:

• Indoor furniture
• Mattresses
• Appliances
• Carpet (4ft sections, 40lb max)

Residents must purchase bulk stickers for $5 per item and schedule pickup 2 weeks in advance by calling G. Mello. The pickup limit is 3 items per household per month.

Curbside Placement

• Carts must be curbside by 6:30am on collection day
• Wheels against curb, handles facing house
• Carts 3ft apart and clear of obstructions
• Hard, level surface – no snowbanks
• Avoid placing near parked cars

Holiday Delays

Pickup is delayed by one day if your normal collection day falls on a major holiday:

• New Year’s Day
• Memorial Day
• July 4th
• Labor Day
• Thanksgiving
• Christmas Day

So Monday pickup would move to Tuesday after a holiday.

Recycling List

Amesbury accepts all recyclables loose in the cart – no sorting required. Accepted materials include:

• Paper and cardboard
• Empty plastic bottles and containers
• Empty glass bottles and jars
• Empty metal cans and containers
• Milk and juice cartons
• Pizza boxes

Check the full recycling list for more details.

Banned Trash Items

Massachusetts law bans certain items from household trash:

• Yard waste
• Recyclable bottles/cans
• Cardboard
• Electronics
• Mattresses
• Hazardous waste

Residents must dispose of banned items through recycling, drop-offs, or special pickups. Fines up to $500 can apply for trash violations.

Hazardous Waste Disposal

Hazardous items like chemicals, oils, and gasoline cannot go in your regular trash. Amesbury residents can safely dispose of these at the Springfield Drop-Off Center on designated collection days.

Contact the Amesbury DPW for more information on household hazardous waste.

Missed Pickups

If your trash or recycling is missed on your normal day, report it to G. Mello as soon as possible by calling 978-352-8581. This ensures timely collection.

Changing or Adding Carts

Contact the hauler G. Mello at 978-352-8581 to purchase additional carts or change cart sizes (only available downtown).

Key Contact Information

• G. Mello Disposal: 978-352-8581
• Amesbury DPW: 978-388-8116

For any other questions on trash and recycling, contact the Amesbury DPW or visit the Amesbury trash and recycling page. Proper sorting and scheduling ensures your neighborhood stays clean and recycling stays efficient.