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Leaf, brush and yard waste in Bourne

Pile of oak leaves, pine boughs and cut brush at the edge of a sandy Cape Cod yard

Where leaves and brush go

The DPW FAQ says yard waste should still be separated for recycling at the residential recycling center, not mixed into the trash cart, and the carts are for household trash and recycling only. The 2026 flyer lists yard waste, brush and stumps as accepted and puts yard waste and leaves on its state-ban list. No bag rule, bundle length or curbside leaf week is posted.

The center is open Wednesday to Saturday, 7 am to 3 pm in the off-season. The landfill scale also stops taking brush, yard waste and ABC after 3 pm. A sticker is required for residents, and the flyer bars dump bodies and trailers longer than 12 feet.

Commercial pause, burning and compost

Since May 4, 2026 the town has paused commercial brush and yard waste acceptance; residents may continue as usual. Landscapers hauling Bourne yards should call 508-759-0600, ext. 4241 for an update, since no resume date is posted.

Open brush burning needs a Fire/Rescue permit ($10) and runs January 15th to May 1st, with a daily fire-weather check, and leaves, grass and construction debris may not be burned. Marijuana residuals go in the trash, not the brush pile. The town also sells an Earth Machine compost bin for $25 to sticker holders.

When the pile is too big for a car

A fall cleanup after a nor'easter means limbs, leaf bags and storm debris at once. JUNKRUN loads loose brush, bagged leaves and cut limbs together with anything else you want gone: a quarter trailer $209, a half $319, three-quarters $409, a full trailer $519, with a $159 minimum. Bags and boxes of debris can also go as $11 each. No sticker and no scale line.

Keep stumps and big logs together at the edge of the yard so we can reach them. Sandy driveways and tight cottage lots are routine for us.

Yard waste checklist for the Bourne center

  • Separate yard waste, brush and stumps from trash; mixing them can breach the state ban.
  • 2026 recycling sticker on a qualifying vehicle, with license and registration in hand.
  • No trailers over 12 feet, dump bodies or rental vehicles on a stickered load.
  • Arrive before 3 pm for brush and yard waste at the landfill scale; the center closes at 3 pm too.
  • Landscapers: commercial brush and yard waste has been paused since May 4, 2026.
  • Burn only January 15 to May 1 with a permit and a good fire-weather day; never leaves.

Local resources in Bourne

Donation, reuse and recycling options near the pickup. We are not affiliated with these; confirm hours and what they accept before you go.

Quick answers

Does Bourne pick up leaves?

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The town posts no curbside leaf or brush collection. Yard waste goes to the Residential Recycling Center with a sticker.

Can I put leaves in my trash cart?

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No. Yard waste and leaves are on the state waste ban list the Bourne flyer repeats, and the DPW says yard waste should go to the recycling center.

Can landscapers drop brush at Bourne?

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Not currently. Commercial brush and yard waste acceptance was paused May 4, 2026, with no resume date posted. Residential use is unchanged.

Can I burn brush?

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Only January 15 to May 1 with a Fire/Rescue burning permit, and not leaves, grass or construction debris.

Sources

Rules, fees and hours change, so confirm with Bourne before you go.

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