Medford, MA: trash, recycling and bulky pickup guide 2026-27
Checked November 2026 · by JUNKRUN, Melrose MA
Weekly curbside trash (WM). Every-other-week trash and weekly food waste start July 1, 2027.
Phones: DPW 781-393-2417; WM 800-972-4545; Casella (yard waste)
Coming up in Medford
Dates the town has posted, soonest first. Each row drops off once its day has passed.
Sat May 8, 2027, 9 am-noonPaint shed (latex and oil paint, 5 gal limit)City Yard, 21 James Stmedfordma.org
The dates posted when we last checked have all passed. The town's own pages, linked below, have the next ones.
At a glance
- Trash day
Weekly trash (WM). Overflow only in green bags. Out the evening before at the earliest.
- Bulky items
WM bulky pickup on your recycling day, $15 per item. Appliances and metal $27.85, TVs $42.85, Tuesdays, prepaid.
- Drop-off
No transfer station. City Yard, 21 James St: recyclables only, Mon-Sat 7-3:30.
- Mattress
Private vendors listed at medfordma.org/waste. HandUp was $55 in a 2022 notice; confirm.
Medford specifics, with sources
Checked 2026-11-06. Dates pass: if one is behind you, the town has probably posted the next set, so use the link. Tap a topic to open it.
- Holiday delays: Six holidays cause delaysFactMedford's guide says delays happen only for July 4th, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, New Year's Day and Memorial Day. A holiday on a collection day pushes collection back one day for the rest of that week; delays are announced through medfordma.org/alerts.SourcePage dateJuly 2026-June 2027 guide
Bulky items: What bulky pickup acceptsFactBulky pickup ($15 per item, on your recycling day) takes mirrors, area rugs, furniture, large toys and carpet no longer than 4 ft and 2 ft in diameter, rolled and tied. It refuses wall-to-wall carpet, sinks, toilets, cabinets and anything on the state waste ban list.SourcePage dateJuly 2026-June 2027 guide
Bulky items: Appliance items accepted at $27.85FactThe $27.85 per item tier covers white goods, appliances, metal items, lawn mowers, snow blowers and exercise equipment; TVs and monitors are $42.85. All are Tuesday-only pickups, booked and paid with WM, proof of residency required.SourcePage dateJuly 2026-June 2027 guide- Drop-off and permits: Recycling dumpster emptied WednesdaysFactThe City Yard recycling dumpster at 21 James St is emptied Wednesday mornings; hours are Monday-Saturday 7-3:30. The resident-only compactor next to it is open seven days a week, dusk to dawn (phone 781-393-2418).SourcePage dateundated; lists the July 2026-June 2027 schedule
- Leaves and yard waste: Leaf set-out detailsFactYard waste must be 3 ft from trash and compost carts, and leaves must not be raked into the gutter or street. Barrels are capped at 32 gal and 50 lb; contact Casella at medfordyardwaste@casella.com or report via SeeClickFix.SourcePage dateJuly 2026-June 2027 guide
- Also worth knowing: Who gets city serviceFactCity-funded service covers addresses of 4 units or fewer: weekly trash, every-other-week recycling and 20 weeks of yard and leaf pickup. Buildings of 5+ units hire a city-permitted private hauler.SourcePage dateJuly 2026-June 2027 guide
- Also worth knowing: Extra and replacement cart feesFactExtra carts are leased from WM (800-972-4545): 64-gal trash $288.16 a year, 96-gal recycling $128.55 a year. Lost or damaged carts cost $64.27 (trash), $80.34 (recycling) and $22.50 (compost) to replace.SourcePage dateJuly 2026-June 2027 guide
- Also worth knowing: Overflow bag price and sellersFactTrash outside the cart is taken only in green overflow bags: rolls of 5 for $9.99, 33 gallons each. Sold at the Stop & Shop in Wellington, Wegmans, Uniao's Meat Market and the City Treasurer's office.SourcePage dateJuly 2026-June 2027 guide
- Also worth knowing: $300 early set-out fineFactTrash and bulky items may not go to the curb before late afternoon or evening the day before pickup; the guide states a $300 fine per day. Keep 3 ft clear on both sides of carts, 12 ft above, and cars 5 ft away.SourcePage dateJuly 2026-June 2027 guide
- Also worth knowing: Textile pickup SaturdaysFactHelpsy collects clothing and textiles from Medford homes every Saturday, 7 am-5 pm (sign up at helpsy.co/medfordma or 1-800-244-6350). Textile bins are also at Medford Public Schools, and trashing textiles has been illegal since Nov 1, 2022.SourcePage dateJuly 2026-June 2027 guide
- Also worth knowing: Free curbside compost opt-inFactEligible households can opt in at medfordcomposts.com for weekly curbside food scrap pickup at no added cost, with a 12-gallon bin from Garbage to Garden (617-977-4547). Fat, grease, meat and bones are allowed; yard waste and sticks are not.SourcePage dateJuly 2026-June 2027 guide
- Also worth knowing: Paint disposal and shed rulesFactPaint-shed paint must be in clearly labeled cans, 5 gal per household. For small amounts at home, the guide says air-dry cans with under 1/4 inch left or cover with kitty litter, then put them in the trash cart.SourcePage dateJuly 2026-June 2027 guide
Every service, in full
Tap a row for what the town publishes and its link. Every fact carries the town's own page and the date that page shows.
Leaf and yard wastePublished
Yard trimmings and leaves are collected the week opposite your recycling week from July 1 to Dec 18, 2026, and again March 29 to June 30, 2027 (Casella). Paper bags, open barrels (32 gal, 50 lb) or bundles tied with natural string; twigs under 1 in. thick and 3 ft long; no plastic bags; not for buildings of 5+ units.
Source: medfordma.org
Christmas tree pickupPublished
The 2026-27 city guide lists Holiday Tree Collection as the week opposite your recycling week; the exact week is the colored cell on your blue or green calendar. The newest dated notice on the site is January 2024 (week of Jan 7).
Source: medfordma.org, medfordma.org
Bulky itemsPublished
WM bulky pickup on your recycling day, $15 per item, call and pay first (sofas, chairs, desks, tables, bookcases, dressers, rolled area rugs; no wall-to-wall carpet, lumber, concrete, windows). Appliances and metal $27.85 per item and TVs and monitors $42.85, Tuesdays only, prepaid. Mattresses: vendors at medfordma.org/waste (HandUp $55, from a 2022 city notice; confirm).
Source: medfordma.org, medfordma.org
Transfer station or drop-offPublished
No transfer station. City Yard / DPW drop-off, 21 James St: Mon-Sat 7 am-3:30 pm, recyclables only (paper, cardboard, plastic bottles, scrap metal). Resident-only compactor open dusk to dawn. Not for bulky items or trash.
Source: medfordma.org
Hazardous waste dayPublished
No household hazardous waste day in the 2026-27 guide. The City Yard paint shed (latex and oil paint only, labeled cans, 5-gal limit, Medford residents with proof of residency) ran Sept 19 and Oct 17, 2026; the next is Sat May 8, 2027, 9 am-noon. Mercury items, rechargeable batteries and fluorescent bulbs go to DPW, City Hall Room 304.
Source: medfordma.org
Notes on 2027 dates, row by row
- Leaf and yard waste: Spring 2027 window is Mar 29-Jun 30, 2027. The fall 2027 window will be on the July 2027-June 2028 guide. Check back in July 2027.
- Christmas tree pickup: Published as a rule (opposite your recycling week), not as a date. Find the week on the city guide. Check back in December.
- Bulky items: Per-item fees are on the 2026-27 guide through June 2027. Check back in June 2027 for the next guide.
- Transfer station or drop-off: Check back in June 2027.
- Hazardous waste day: Published: Sat May 8, 2027, 9 am-noon, 21 James St.