Leaf and Yard Waste Pickup in Lowell, MA

The city's bag and bundle rules

The city's yard waste page allows loose leaves, grass or brush in paper lawn and leaf bags or labeled barrels with handles. Plastic bags are not allowed and boxes are not allowed. Each container or bundle must weigh less than 35 pounds, no item may be longer than 3 feet or thicker than 3 inches, and bundles need non-metallic twine, not tape. Labels are free, four per person, at the DPW (1365 Middlesex Street), Neighborhood Services at City Hall, the Senior Center or the Health Department at 341 Pine Street.

The city suggests no more than 20 bags a week, because more bags slow the trucks.

What the city rejects

The yard waste page lists logs and trunks, boards, fence pieces, metal, rocks, soil, dirt, sod and loam as non-acceptable, and says the contractor may reject anything that does not qualify. It also warns that bringing waste from outside the city to a Lowell curb carries a $200 fine per piece. Because the city lists no yard-waste drop-off site, a rejected pile has nowhere to go but back to your yard.

The usual rejected jobs in Lowell are a storm-felled limb, old fence boards, and a pile of dirt from a garden bed.

Timing in a wet October

Put them out the morning of your service day. The weekly schedule ends in mid-December, per the city, after which brush and leaves must wait until spring. For one big cleanup, a half trailer is $319 and a full trailer $519; it covers branches and soil too.

Lowell yard waste season at a glance

Mid-March to late May
Weekly collection
Late May to early October
Every other week, opposite your recycling week
Mid-October to mid-December
Weekly again (the city's yard waste page lists December 18, 2026 as the last week)
After the last week
Nothing is collected; use the Lowell Recycle app for your day

Quick answers

Where do I get yard waste labels?

+

DPW (1365 Middlesex St), City Hall's Neighborhood Services, the Senior Center or the Health Department (341 Pine St). Four per person are free.

Can I use plastic leaf bags?

+

No. The city allows only paper bags or labeled barrels with handles.

Sources

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

City of Lowell: Yard Waste Collection: “Loose leaves, grass or brush in 'paper' lawn and leaf bags or labeled barrels-with handles. No plastic bags .” · accessed October 31, 2026
City of Lowell: Yard Waste Collection (size limits): “Weigh less than 35 pounds No item is longer than 3 feet No item is thicker than 3 inches” · accessed October 31, 2026
City of Lowell: Yard Waste Collection (labels): “Yard waste labels are available for free (4 per person) at the Department of Public Works (DPW - 1365 Middlesex Street), Neighborhood Services (City Hall), Senior Center or Health Department (341 Pine Street).” · accessed October 31, 2026
City of Lowell: Yard Waste Collection (bag count): “It is suggested that there are no more than 20 bags” · accessed October 31, 2026
City of Lowell: Yard Waste Collection (not accepted): “Non-acceptable Items : Logs / trunks Non 'nature' items: boards, fence pieces, metal etc. Rocks / boulders Soil / dirt / sod / loam” · accessed October 31, 2026
City of Lowell: Yard Waste Collection (importation fine): “shall be punished by a fine of $200. Each piece of waste shall constitute a separate offense.” · 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

Leaf and yard waste pickup in Lowell