Junk removal in Lowell, MA
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This page is for hiring JUNKRUN in Lowell: prices, what we take, how booking works. For what the town itself does, see Lowell bulky item pickup rules, Lowell leaf pickup, fall 2026, Lowell dump and transfer station.
What Lowell collects and what it does not
Trash and recycling go out in the city's serial-numbered carts; extra bags must be purple overflow bags, up to five a week. Big or bulky items are not picked up with the cart: the city's curbside page says to schedule them with Waste Management, 800-972-4545. Mattresses and box springs are banned from the trash and go through UTEC, which picks up in Lowell on Wednesdays. Textiles are banned too; the city points to collection bins or free pickup from a textile recycler.
Nothing may go out earlier than the day before collection, and only in front of your own property. The city's page puts fines for breaking that rule at up to $100. Yard waste has its own labeled-bag system through mid-December.
Triple-deckers, lofts and shared entries
Most Lowell jobs are not a driveway and a garage. In the Acre, Centralville and Back Central the work is usually a second- or third-floor unit with a shared stairwell, a landlord's cart set, and curb space that is also a parking spot. Downtown mill lofts add freight elevators and building loading rules.
Two things help. Book a window when the street space is open, and tell us which floor the items are on. Because the city ties each cart to an address, a tenant cannot add a second cart for a clean-out; the owner must request an extra set ($335 a year, or $600 for non-owner-occupied, per the city). A one-time load usually costs less than that.
Prices for Lowell jobs
Our minimum is $159. A sofa is $139, a loveseat $89, a queen mattress $109, a large appliance such as a refrigerator $149 (refrigerant recovery included), and a flat-screen TV $59. Cleanouts are priced by the trailer: a quarter load is $209, half is $319, three-quarters is $409 and a full trailer is $519.
The city's own routes are cheaper for a single item if you can wait for the appointment. We are the faster route for several items at once, or for anything on an upper floor.
Lowell: which route for which item
| Item | City route | When JunkRun fits |
|---|---|---|
| Sofa or table | Waste Management bulky appointment, 800-972-4545 (fee quoted by phone) | Several pieces at once, or upper floors |
| Mattress or box spring | UTEC curbside, weekly on Wednesdays, out by 7:30 am | Carried from the bedroom, no waiting for an emailed date |
| Refrigerator or washer | Book as a bulky pickup with Waste Management | Bundled with other items; refrigerant recovery included |
| Household chemicals | HHW Day, Saturday November 7, 2026, 9 am to noon (we do not take hazardous waste) | Not applicable |
| Leaves and brush | Weekly yard waste in paper bags until mid-December | Large piles priced by the load |
What a pickup in Lowell looks like.
- Where
- Lowell sits at the confluence of the Merrimack and Concord rivers in Middlesex County and borders Dracut, Tewksbury, Billerica, Chelmsford and Tyngsborough. It is roughly 25 miles northwest of Melrose by road, on Route 3 and I-495.
- County and population
- Middlesex County. 115,554 (2020 Census) residents (U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts, 2020 Decennial Census count).
- Neighborhoods
- The Acre, Back Central, Belvidere, Centralville, Downtown, The Highlands, Pawtucketville, South Lowell
- Homes
- A dense mill-city mix: multi-family wood-frame houses and tenement-style buildings in the Acre, Centralville and Back Central, mill buildings converted to lofts downtown, and single-family streets toward Belvidere and the Highlands. Stairs, shared entries and rented units are the normal job conditions (JunkRun town research; Lowell National Historical Park describes the city's mill and canal district).
- Seasonal notes
- October is the wettest month at 4.24 in, which is when leaf bags and curbside furniture get soaked.
- Access and parking
- The city contracts Waste Management for trash, recycling, yard waste and bulky pickup; items may go out no earlier than the day before collection and only in front of your own property (fines up to $100). Carts have serial numbers tied to the address. Property owners need a permit from Development Services for a dumpster on the property (city code via eCode360 search result; confirm with the city).
Landmarks: Lowell National Historical Park, Boott Cotton Mills, Lowell canal system, Lowell Memorial Auditorium, Cawley Stadium.
Local resources in Lowell
Donation, reuse and recycling options near the pickup. We are not affiliated with these; confirm hours and what they accept before you go.
- Town
Lowell DPW Solid Waste & Recycling Office
Accepts: Extra recycling drop-off on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, 10 am to 3 pm
Not confirmed for bulky items, appliances or mattresses; call before loading a vehicle. In Lowell itself.
1365 Middlesex St, Lowell, MA 01851 - Hazardous waste
Lowell Household Hazardous Waste Day
Accepts: Household hazardous waste, one car per household, limited to 120 visitors
Saturday November 7, 2026, 9 am to noon. Lowell residents can also use reciprocal events in other towns.
Event site is not stated clearly on the city page; confirm before driving (page lists 210 Holt Rd, 01845 for reciprocal events, and DPW is at 1365 Middlesex St) - Mattress recycling
UTEC Mattress Recycling
Curbside pickups in Lowell run weekly on Wednesdays; items out by 7:30 am. Drop-off is $30 per unit for people outside UTEC's pickup towns. In Lowell itself.
35 Warren St, Lowell, MA 01852 (UTEC's main program center; the mattress drop-off address is emailed after you book) - Scrap metal
Max Levine & Co. Scrap Metals
Weekday hours 7:15 am to 4:15 pm. The Westford town guide says they do not take refrigerators, freezers or dehumidifiers. In Lowell itself.
270 Tanner St, Lowell, MA 01852 - Donation
House of Hope
Accepts: Listed by the City of Lowell as a donation destination; ask what is accepted
Local nonprofit on the city's donation resources page; phone first. In Lowell itself.
812 Merrimack St, Lowell, MA 01854 - Thrift
St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Shop
Accepts: Usable furniture and clothing; pickups can be scheduled on their website
The Westford guide lists 1488 Middlesex St; a Tyngsborough town page lists 701 Merrimack St. Call to confirm the shop you want. In Lowell itself.
1488 Middlesex St, Lowell, MA 01851 - Thrift
Salvation Army Appleton Street Store
Accepts: Furniture, appliances, clothing and household goods; call before loading
Pickup line 800-728-7825; appliances must be near a power outlet so they can be tested. In Lowell itself.
150 Appleton St, Lowell, MA 01852 - Textiles
Angels Above Charity
Accepts: Women's and children's items, clothing
Open Monday to Friday 10 am to 6:30 pm and Saturday 10 am to 5 pm, per the Westford guide. In Lowell itself.
99 Mammoth Rd, Lowell, MA
Sources
Rules, fees and hours change, so confirm with Lowell before you go.
- City of Lowell: Curbside Collection (carts): “Every cart has a serial number that is designated to a specific property” · accessed October 31, 2026
- City of Lowell: Trash rules (purple bags): “You can only put out Five (5) Purple bags a week.” · accessed November 1, 2026
- City of Lowell: Curbside Collection: “big or bulky items must be scheduled for pick up with Waste Management” · accessed October 31, 2026
- City of Lowell: Most Common Questions Answered: “Unusable bulky items? Schedule a pick-up with WM by calling: 1-800-972-4545” · accessed October 31, 2026
- City of Lowell: Most Common Questions Answered (mattresses): “Do Mattresses and Boxsprings have to be recycled? Yes, by state law they do. Please use UTEC to schedule a pick-up” · accessed October 31, 2026
- UTEC: Lowell mattress pickup: “Curbside pickups occur weekly on Wednesdays.” · accessed October 31, 2026
- City of Lowell: Most Common Questions Answered (textiles): “You can put them in a collection bin or schedule a free pick up from a textile recycler.” · accessed October 31, 2026
- City of Lowell: Curbside Collection (set-out timing): “No items out for collection such as trash, recycling, yard waste or bulky items, should be put out any earlier than the day before it's collection” · accessed October 31, 2026
- City of Lowell: Curbside Collection (fines): “Anyone found in violation of this is subject to fines up to $100.” · accessed October 31, 2026
- City of Lowell: Solid Waste & Recycling Office, DPW (yard waste schedule): “October 13th - December 19th Weekly Collection” · accessed October 31, 2026
- City of Lowell: Trash rules (extra carts): “the additional set will cost $335 per year/$600 non owner occupied” · accessed November 1, 2026
Your Lowell price in 30 seconds.
Text a photo and we send one flat price that covers the crew, loading, the drive and disposal. Pick a 2-hour window, and a two-person crew carries it out from wherever it sits in your Lowell home, loads the trailer and sweeps up.
- ✓ No travel fee to Lowell
- ✓ No stair fees, any floor
- ✓ Mattress recycling included (MA law)
Tap + to add · $159 minimum, everything included
See my instant price →Or text a photo to (617) 545-0382
Have a truck or trailer in Lowell? JunkRun sends Lowell-area junk removal jobs to haulers with the pay shown before you claim, and no lead fees. See how hauling for JunkRun works · Hauling jobs near Lowell
Prices from $159, crew, carry-out and disposal included, no travel fee to Lowell. See all prices. Also see trash removal, junk removal cost in Massachusetts, basement cleanouts and Christmas tree pickup in Lowell.
More in Lowell: mattress removal, move-out junk removal, couch removal, refrigerator removal.
Junk removal in Lowell, answered.
Can I leave furniture at the curb the night before?
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No more than the day before collection, and only in front of your own property. The city lists fines up to $100 for earlier placement.
Does JunkRun take hazardous waste?
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No. Paint thinner, pesticides and similar items go to the city's Household Hazardous Waste Day, next on Saturday November 7, 2026, 9 am to noon.
Get a Lowell price.
Use the price form or text a photo to (617) 545-0382.