Mattress disposal in Massachusetts
Updated September 2026 · by JUNKRUN, Melrose MA
In short
Since November 1, 2022, mattresses and box springs are banned from disposal in Massachusetts, so they cannot go out with the trash. They have to be recycled or reused. You have four routes: your town's mattress program (usually a per-unit fee and a schedule), a retailer take-back when you buy a new one, a donation if the mattress is in good shape, or a hauler. JUNKRUN takes a mattress for $89–$129, recycled, from any floor.
What the Massachusetts mattress ban says
Under MassDEP's waste disposal ban regulations (310 CMR 19.017), the ban on mattresses and textiles took effect on November 1, 2022, and a mattress includes any foundation or box spring. Mattresses can be reused or recycled instead.
The ban covers mattresses of every size, including foam, latex and mattress-in-a-box products. It does not cover mattress pads and toppers, pillows or sleeping bags, and MassDEP's guidance also leaves out air mattresses, waterbeds and mattresses in futons and sofa beds. The definition also excludes mattresses that are contaminated with mold, bodily fluids, insects, oil, or hazardous substances.
In practice this means the old mattress cannot go to the curb with the trash. Trash haulers can refuse it, and the town can too.
Your four options
- Your town's mattress program. Many towns accept or collect mattresses from residents, usually with a per-unit fee and set pickup or drop-off dates. See the table below.
- Retailer take-back. Most furniture and mattress sellers accept old mattresses for recycling and disposal when they deliver a new one, sometimes for a fee. Ask before you buy.
- Donate it if it is in good condition, and clean. Acceptance varies by organization, so call first.
- Hire a hauler. JUNKRUN is $89–$129 per mattress and $59–$99 per box spring, flat, recycling fee included, carried from any floor.
What the towns north of Boston do
Here is what we have on file for each town we serve. It comes from town websites as of September 2026. Fees and schedules change, so confirm with your town before you rely on it.
| Town | Mattress handling (per the town) |
|---|---|
| MelroseFull Melrose guide → | Mattresses and box springs are recycled through Tough Stuff Recycling: schedule curbside online, or bring them to the City Yard on open Saturdays with a prepaid receipt. Fee: $65 curbside (Tough Stuff) or $40 at the City Yard. |
| StonehamFull Stoneham guide → | Mattresses are picked up at the curb through Casella (1-800-950-9293) for a special recycling charge. Call to arrange it. Fee: Special recycling charge applies (amount not published by the town). |
| WakefieldFull Wakefield guide → | Mattresses and box springs must be recycled. The town uses HandUp: schedule a pickup online or by phone and set the unit out by 7 am for $60 each. Fee: $60 per unit. |
| MaldenFull Malden guide → | Malden does not collect mattresses with regular trash. It lists private vendors (ABH Services, Classic Cleanouts, HandUP, Junk Dispatch, Marvin Junk Removal) that pick up curbside or from inside the home. |
| MedfordFull Medford guide → | The city partners with HandUp for curbside mattress and box spring recycling, by appointment, twice a month. Fee: $55 per mattress or box spring (city 2022 notice; confirm with HandUp). |
| LynnfieldFull Lynnfield guide → | Mattresses and box springs cannot go in the trash or curbside. The town points residents to ABH Services, Inc., which schedules pickups for a fee. Fee: Costs start at $50. |
| SomervilleFull Somerville guide → | Starting Feb 1, 2026, each mattress and each box spring needs a $55 disposal sticker, then a 311 pickup request. Only households in buildings of six units or fewer on city trash collection are eligible, up to two bulk items per property per week. Fee: $55 per mattress or box spring (disposal sticker). |
| EverettFull Everett guide → | All mattresses and box springs must be recycled. Pay at the Collector's Office in City Hall (cash only); the clerk gives you a pickup date, a sticker and a bag for each piece, and you set them out curbside that day. Fee: $70 for the first mattress or box spring, $45 for each additional (cash only, max 3 per pickup). |
| ArlingtonFull Arlington guide → | Mattresses and box springs must be recycled (state law). Both options cost $55 per piece, any size: drop off at the Reuse & Recycle Center by appointment, or book curbside pickup with Tough Stuff Recycling at toughstuffrecycling.com. Fee: $55 per mattress or box spring. |
| BelmontFull Belmont guide → | Mattress and box spring pickup is a separate town program run through DPW once a month on a Tuesday. Book and pay with DPW before 4pm on the Thursday before pickup. Fee: $50 per item (credit card adds 2.95%; e-check adds 50 cents). |
| LynnFull Lynn guide → | Mattresses and box springs are banned from trash and are no longer accepted at Bulky Item Days. The city contracts Tough Stuff Recycling for curbside pickup (book direct), and the DPW at 250 Commercial St also takes them for a fee. Fee: $35 per mattress at the DPW (Tough Stuff curbside price not listed). |
| RevereFull Revere guide → | Mattresses are no longer picked up curbside (since December 1, 2024). They can be dropped off at the DPW Yard on the last Saturday of the month. Fee: $75 per piece. |
| SaugusFull Saugus guide → | Mattresses and box springs are banned from the trash under the Massachusetts DEP rule (since Nov 1, 2022). The Town does not collect them curbside and they do not count as a bulky item. Residents use an authorized recycling vendor from the Town's list, donate if in good condition, or ask the retailer to take the old one. |
| PeabodyFull Peabody guide → | Mattresses and box springs need a $20 disposal sticker for each piece and are not picked up at the curb. Residents bring them to the Peabody Recycling Center, 50 Farm Ave. Residents can also use a private disposal service and pay it directly. Fee: $20 per mattress and $20 per box spring. |
| DanversFull Danvers guide → | Mattresses and box springs are not part of the bulky program. The town partners with UTEC for curbside pickup twice a month; book on UTEC's site, choose Danvers, and pay UTEC online. Items must be at the curb by 7 am; drivers will not take them from porches, behind gates or private property. Fee: $40 per item (mattress and box spring count separately). |
| MiddletonFull Middleton guide → | Mattresses and box springs are accepted at the Transfer Station with a per-piece mattress sticker. Fee: $60 per mattress or box spring. |
| TopsfieldFull Topsfield guide → | Mattresses cannot go out with curbside trash or the bulky collection; they get a rejection sticker and are not picked up. The town lists recyclers (G. Mello Transfer Station in Georgetown, Green Mattress in North Andover, UTEC in Lowell, Tough Stuff in Fitchburg). |
| ReadingFull Reading guide → | The town contracts Tough Stuff Recycling: $65 per unit for curbside pickup or $33 per unit dropped off at the DPW garage. Republic no longer takes mattresses. Fee: $65 per mattress or box spring curbside; $33 per unit drop-off (each piece is one unit). |
| North ReadingFull North Reading guide → | UTEC curbside pickup, twice a month. Schedule and pay UTEC online (since May 15, 2024); item at the curb by 7 am; drivers will not enter private property (porches, locked gates). Fee: $40 per item (mattress and box spring are two items). |
| WinchesterFull Winchester guide → | Resident drop-off at the Transfer Station. No curbside pickup is listed. Winchester Transfer Station, 781-721-7178. Fee: $30 each, residential (commercial $40). |
| WoburnFull Woburn guide → | UTEC curbside (city's listed partner), or another recycler. Call UTEC 978-856-3997. Mattress and box spring each count. Tell them if there are bed bugs. Fee: $40 per unit (UTEC). |
| BurlingtonFull Burlington guide → | UTEC curbside; Republic stopped taking mattresses Oct 3, 2022. utecinc.org/mattress-recycling, choose Burlington, or call 978-856-3997. Damaged or wet items OK; bed-bug items are not taken (call Republic). Fee: $40 per mattress or box spring (calendar: 'subject to change'). |
| WilmingtonFull Wilmington guide → | Casella curbside, weekly, by appointment. Call Casella and pay by phone; they tell you the curbside day. Town pages list 978-535-6312 and 1-800-227-3552. Fee: $25 per mattress or box spring (since Oct 15, 2024; was $10). |
| LexingtonFull Lexington guide → | UTEC curbside, every other Friday. Book and pay in the Mattress & Box Spring tab of LexSortSmart (web or app); mattress must be at the curb. Fee waiver via Waste Fee Hardship Program (Human Services 781-861-0194). Fee: $49.50 per mattress or box spring (effective Sept 1, 2026). |
| BedfordFull Bedford guide → | Mattresses and box springs are collected twice a month by appointment through UTEC, booked at utecinc.org/mattress-recycling. UTEC will not enter private property. Fee: $20 per piece (mattress or box spring). |
| TewksburyFull Tewksbury guide → | Republic will not take mattresses or box springs because of the state disposal ban. The town sends residents to UTEC curbside recycling; schedule on utecinc.org/mattress-recycling or call 978-856-3997. Fee: not stated by the town. |
| BillericaFull Billerica guide → | Mattresses and box springs must be recycled. Book UTEC online or at 978-856-3997; Waste Management no longer takes them. Fee: $40 per item (mattress = 1, box spring = 1, split king box spring = 2). |
| ChelmsfordFull Chelmsford guide → | Mattresses and box springs are collected at the curb by UTEC every other week. Book and pay online at utecinc.org. Fee: $30 per piece ($30 mattress + $30 box spring). |
| LowellFull Lowell guide → | Mattresses and box springs are recycled by UTEC, who collect curbside on Wednesdays. Book online or call UTEC at 978-856-3902. Fee: $30 per piece (split or king box springs count as two). |
| DracutFull Dracut guide → | Mattresses and box springs are banned from trash. The town partners with UTEC (a nonprofit) for curbside pickup; call UTEC at 978-856-3902. The town's trash vendor, Casella, does not take them as bulk items. Fee: not stated. |
| TyngsboroughFull Tyngsborough guide → | Mattresses and box springs are banned from the trash and the town does not collect them. Schedule a paid curbside pickup with UTEC, or donate a clean one to Household Goods in Acton. |
| WestfordFull Westford guide → | Stickers can't be used on mattresses or box springs. The town runs a UTEC curbside mattress pickup every other Tuesday, booked online. Fee: $40 per unit (a mattress or box spring is one unit). |
| AndoverFull Andover guide → | Mattresses and box springs are banned from curbside. UTEC collects them curbside every other Tuesday by appointment, or takes drop-offs in Lawrence by appointment. |
| BostonFull Boston guide → | Mattresses and box springs are collected only by appointment, booked online at boston.gov/mattress. Eligible: buildings with six units or fewer. The state has required mattress recycling since November 1, 2022. Memory foam, innerspring, hybrid and latex mattresses and box springs are accepted; futons and toppers are not and go out with regular trash. |
| CambridgeFull Cambridge guide → | Mattresses and box springs are banned from trash in Massachusetts. The City runs a pickup program with its contractor UTEC (a nonprofit). Book on the UTEC site; the crew picks up from the curb and cannot come onto private property. You do not need to be home. Fee: $45 per mattress and per box spring ($5 discount for financial hardship, call UTEC at 978-856-3997). |
| ChelseaFull Chelsea guide → | Mattresses and box springs are banned from trash. City trash customers pay $25 per mattress or box spring (since Feb 1, 2026) for curbside pickup on Mondays and Thursdays. Pay at City Hall, online ('Curbside Mattress Pick Up' under Apply For A Permit) or by mailed check, get a sticker, then call 311 to schedule. Fee: $25 per mattress or box spring; $40 per item if you have a private hauler that will not take it. |
| BrooklineFull Brookline guide → | Mattresses and box springs must be recycled under MassDEP rules. They go through the town's paid bulky pickup (Casella handles storage and hauling) and are collected on Tuesdays. Fee: $65 per mattress or box spring (could not re-check live; the 2025 town page showed $55, so confirm when booking). |
| NewtonFull Newton guide → | Mattresses and box springs must be recycled (state ban since Nov 1, 2022). Newton sells curbside pickup by appointment, or you can drop them at the Resource Recovery Center with proof of payment. Fee: $60 per item curbside; $35 per item drop-off. |
| WatertownFull Watertown guide → | The city does not collect mattresses or box springs. Residents book their own recycling; the city names HandUp Mattress, which does curbside collection. Fee: $50 per mattress and $50 per box spring (HandUp curbside). |
| WalthamFull Waltham guide → | For buildings with 6 or fewer units, the city has Green Mattress Co recycle mattresses and box springs; call the Recycling Department to book. Buildings with more than 6 units must arrange pickup through building management or a private company. |
| WinthropFull Winthrop guide → | Mattresses and box springs are banned from town trash and bulk pickup since 11/1/2022. The town's hauler, Capitol Waste Services, collects them for a fee, and all residents, whatever the number of units in the building, can call to book it. Fee: Fee charged by Capitol (amount not published on the town pages read). |
| QuincyFull Quincy guide → | Mattresses and box springs are not picked up on your regular trash day. The city lists Mattress Recycling at 617-837-1299 (South Shore Recycle), which schedules pickup by vehicle and staff availability, with an online scheduler linked from the city page. |
| MiltonFull Milton guide → | Curbside Tuesdays by request only. Fill out the DPW mattress form or call 617-898-4900 by the previous Friday at noon. Each mattress or box spring needs a $35 large item sticker and a mattress bag. Or drop off at the Recycling Center for five $4 stickers (also bagged) on the first Saturday of the month. Bed bug mattresses refused. Fee: $35 per piece curbside; $20 (5 x $4) at the Recycling Center. |
| BraintreeFull Braintree guide → | Not collected curbside and not accepted at the Recycle Center (state disposal ban). The town points residents to private pickup: HandUp through the South Shore Recycling Cooperative, South Shore Recycle, Willards Disposal. Fee: HandUp/SSRC $50 per unit (a mattress and a box spring are 2 units). |
| WeymouthFull Weymouth guide → | Mattresses and box springs are banned from the trash (since Nov 1, 2022). The town's trash page sends residents to HandUp Mattress Recycling, 774-271-8744, which lists Weymouth among its regularly scheduled curbside towns. HandUp also takes mattresses at its New Bedford sites for a drop-off fee. Fee: Drop-off $40 per piece at 229 Coffin Ave, New Bedford; $35 at 100 Duchaine Blvd. Curbside price not posted on the pages read.. |
| DedhamFull Dedham guide → | Mattresses and box springs are collected by appointment with Boston Carting. Massachusetts bans them from disposal since Nov 1, 2022. Sleepy's picks up the old mattress with the purchase and delivery of a new one. Fee: $95.00 per pickup. |
| NeedhamFull Needham guide → | Mattresses and box springs are banned from trash. The RTS accepts them for recycling; there is no curbside program. Fee: $25 each residential drop-off; $50 each commercial. |
| WellesleyFull Wellesley guide → | Mattresses and box springs are accepted at the RDF Special Waste Orange Area, Bin 13, past the textile bins. Wet, soiled, moldy, bed bug or mechanical mattresses are refused. |
| SalemFull Salem guide → | Mattresses and box springs cannot go in the trash (Massachusetts ban since Nov 1, 2022). The city contracts UTEC for curbside recycling: schedule on the UTEC site or call 978-856-3997. A mattress bag is needed only if the unit is non-conforming or rain is expected on pickup day. Fee: $40 per unit, paid directly to UTEC. |
| BeverlyFull Beverly guide → | Mattresses and box springs are banned from the trash and are not accepted as a bulk item (MassDEP rule since Nov 1, 2022). The city contracts Tough Stuff Recycling for curbside pickup; book at order.toughstuffrecycling.com or call 978-307-4118. Drop-off by appointment at UTEC (Lowell, $30/unit) or Tough Stuff (Fitchburg, $22/unit). Retailers may take the old one on delivery. Fee: Curbside price shown at Tough Stuff booking (not on the city page); drop-off $22 or $30 per unit. |
| MarbleheadFull Marblehead guide → | Mattresses and box springs are bulk waste and go to the Transfer Station. Each mattress and each box spring is one item. Fee: $40 each with a facility sticker, $80 each commercial or non-stickered (2026 notice). The Board of Health voted in April 2026 to raise those to $45 and $85 (Marblehead Current); the posted notice was unchanged on Nov 6.. |
| SwampscottFull Swampscott guide → | Mattresses and box springs are collected on the 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month. Pay the town fee first, set the item at the curb on your property without blocking the sidewalk, no earlier than 24 hours before. Not part of bulk pickup. Call the Health Department first if there are bed bugs. Fee: $30 per mattress and $30 per box spring. |
| NatickFull Natick guide → | Mattresses and box springs are collected through the Monday bulky pickup on their own truck. A mattress-only booking pays just the per-item fee, not the 5-for-$50 fee. A split box spring counts as two. Fee: $35 per mattress or box spring. |
| FraminghamFull Framingham guide → | Mattresses cannot go in the trash. The City collects them curbside on Wednesdays by advance booking, or takes them at the Recycling Drop-Off Center with a permit. The bulky-item list names mattresses and box springs; the fee table lists mattresses only. Fee: $20 per mattress (drop-off or curbside), plus the $5 curbside service fee. |
| PlymouthFull Plymouth guide → | Mattresses and box springs go to the Difficult to Manage Waste Collection Facility (Republic Services), 354 Beaver Dam Road, not the Manomet compactor. State disposal ban in effect since 2022-11-01. Fee: By weight plus $75 each. |
| BourneFull Bourne guide → | Mattresses and box springs are accepted at the Residential Recycling Center with a charge; they are refused at the Swap Shop and appear on the state disposal ban list. Fee: $30 per mattress or box spring (2026 flyer). |
| SandwichFull Sandwich guide → | Mattresses and box springs are accepted at the Transfer Station for a fee per piece, with an annual permit. A one-trip pass does not cover them. Fee: $40 recyclable condition, $50 non-recyclable, per mattress or box spring. |
| FalmouthFull Falmouth guide → | Mattresses and box springs go in a dedicated lower-level container at the Waste Management Facility. $50 per item. Sticker or single-trip fee required, items must be dry. Banned from the trash by MassDEP and by Falmouth's mandatory recycling regulation (adopted December 19, 2022; in force April 14, 2023). Fee: $50 per item. |
| MashpeeFull Mashpee guide → | Mattresses and box springs are accepted at the Transfer Station for a fee. Massachusetts has banned disposal of mattresses since Nov 1, 2022. Fee: $30 per mattress or box spring. |
| BarnstableFull Barnstable guide → | Mattresses and box springs are accepted at the Transfer Station for a per-item fee; crib mattresses too. Massachusetts has banned mattresses from disposal since November 1, 2022. A sleeper sofa's mattress must be removed and is charged separately. Fee: $40 clean/recyclable, $55 dirty/stained, $10 crib mattress, per item. |
| YarmouthFull Yarmouth guide → | Yarmouth sends acceptable mattresses to ACE Mattress Recycling. They must be from Yarmouth residences, clean and unsoiled; bedbugs, covers, wet or moldy or twisted mattresses are refused, as are futon mattresses, car seats and crib mattresses. Fee: $35 per mattress (fee list and regulations); box springs $25 in the regulations, while the mattress page says $35 for all mattresses and box springs. |
| DennisFull Dennis guide → | Residents drop mattresses and box springs at the Transfer Station for a fee. The state disposal ban applies, so they cannot go in household trash. The town collects over 1,500 a year and pays a recycler over $28,000. Contaminated mattresses (mold, bodily fluids, insects, oil) cannot be recycled per the town leaflet. Fee: $30 each residential; $50 each commercial (mattress or box spring). |
| HarwichFull Harwich guide → | Mattresses and box springs are taken at the Transfer Station for a per-piece fee. The station describes its C&D pad as taking unusable furniture and mattresses. State disposal ban in effect since 2022-11-01. Fee: $30 each for mattress or box spring. |
| BrewsterFull Brewster guide → | Mattresses and box springs are accepted at the Recycling Center for a fee; a mattress plus a box spring counts as two units. The Swap Shop does not accept mattresses or bed frames. Fee: $45 each (mattress + box spring = 2 units). |
| ChathamFull Chatham guide → | Mattresses and box springs are accepted at the Transfer Station for a fee; the recycling guide says to inquire at the gate. The Swap Shop refuses mattresses. Fee: $50 each. |
| OrleansFull Orleans guide → | Mattresses are $40 each at the Transfer Station. State disposal ban since November 1, 2022. Habitat ReStore refuses mattresses and box springs. Fee: $40 per mattress. |
| EasthamFull Eastham guide → | Mattresses are charged at the Transfer Station: $50 each for all mattresses other than crib size; $20 each for box springs and crib-size mattresses. The Board of Health keeps mattresses out of the compactors. State disposal ban in effect since 2022-11-01. Fee: $50 mattress; $20 box spring or crib size. |
| WellfleetFull Wellfleet guide → | Mattresses and box springs go to the C&D area at the Transfer Station with a valid sticker. The Swap Shop refuses them. State disposal ban since 2022-11-01. Fee: $20 per mattress, $20 per box spring. |
| TruroFull Truro guide → | Mattresses and box springs are accepted at the Transfer Station for $50 each. State disposal ban in effect since 2022-11-01. Swap shop and clothing trailer refuse them. Fee: $50 per item. |
| ProvincetownFull Provincetown guide → | Mattresses and box springs are accepted at the Transfer Station for a fee by size; no curbside pickup. Massachusetts has banned mattresses from disposal since November 1, 2022. Fee: Twin $35, full $40, queen $45, king $50, crib mattress $20. |
Preparing a mattress for pickup
- Keep it dry. A wet mattress can be refused by recyclers: the state recycling contract lists wet or frozen mattresses or box springs among those not to send.
- Do not cut it up or take it apart yourself. Recyclers want it intact.
- If you can, wrap it in plastic to keep it clean on the way out.
- If it has bed bugs, tell whoever is picking it up in advance. The same list excludes mattresses or box springs infested with bed bugs or other pests, so they need separate handling.
Quick answers
Can I throw a mattress in the trash in Massachusetts?
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No. Mattresses and box springs have been banned from disposal in Massachusetts since November 1, 2022. They must be recycled or reused.
How much does it cost to get rid of a mattress in MA?
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It depends on the route. Town programs list per-unit fees (for example, $30 in Chelmsford, $49.50 in Lexington via UTEC per the town's information, $40 to $55 in Melrose). JUNKRUN charges $89–$129, with recycling included and carry-out from any floor.
What about box springs?
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Box springs are included in the ban. JUNKRUN takes a box spring for $59–$99, with recycling included.
Can I donate a used mattress?
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Sometimes, if it is clean and in good condition, but acceptance varies. Call the organization first.
Sources
- MassDEP: Mattress and textile waste ban FAQ: “ban mattresses and textiles took effect on November 1, 2022”
- MassDEP: Mattress and textile waste ban FAQ: “Mattress includes any foundation or box spring”
- MassDEP: Mattress and textile waste ban FAQ: “All sizes of mattresses are included under the ban”
- MassDEP: Mattress and textile waste ban FAQ: “those specific mattress products are included in the waste ban”
- MassDEP: Mattress and textile waste ban FAQ: “does not include any mattress pad, mattress topper”
- MassDEP: Mattress and textile waste ban FAQ: “mattresses in futons and sofa beds”
- MassDEP: Mattress and textile waste ban FAQ: “except for mattresses that are contaminated with mold, bodily fluids, insects, oil, or hazardous substances”
- MassDEP: Mattress and textile waste ban FAQ: “many municipalities accept or collect mattresses from residents”
- MassDEP: Mattress recycling: “Most furniture and mattress sellers accept old mattresses for recycling and disposal when they deliver newly purchased mattresses to your home”
- MassDEP: Mattress recycling: “Donate mattresses that are in good condition”
- MassDEP: Mattress and textile waste ban FAQ: “Wet or frozen mattresses or box springs”
- MassDEP: Mattress and textile waste ban FAQ: “Mattresses or box springs infested with bed bugs or other pests”