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Where to dump in Swampscott, MA

Empty open metal roll-off containers and scrap metal appliances beside a chain-link fence at a municipal public works yard on a Saturday morning

The DPW Yard on the last Saturday

The town's metal list says drop-offs run the last Saturday of each month from 8 a.m. to noon, except January and February, at the DPW Yard on Paradise Road, and are free to Swampscott residents. Your remaining dates this year are November 28 and December 26. The town's FAQ lists the season as March through December; call 781-596-8850 to confirm the December 26 date, the day after Christmas.

Styrofoam is collected at the same event, though the town notes it is not recycled. Cardboard, but not paper, is now accepted on the last Saturday of every month. Package Styrofoam in trash bags if possible. It is free to residents.

What the DPW Yard turns away

The town's unacceptable list is long: televisions, computer monitors, rechargeable batteries, tires, vacuum cleaners, light bulbs, hazardous waste, and anything entirely or mostly glass or plastic. Electric mowers and snow blowers are refused too. Furniture that is wood or upholstered is not metal, so sofas, dressers and mattresses do not belong here either.

What it does take is the heavy metal that is hard to move on a normal trash day: refrigerators, stoves, washers, water heaters, bed frames, gym equipment, ladders and file cabinets. Bring them in a truck or trailer, since the list mentions no loading help. Empty paint cans and propane tanks are accepted only if empty.

Out-of-town transfer stations

For a load that is not metal, such as remodeling debris, the Health Department's handout lists these, with a note to call first for fees and what they will take: Republic Transfer Station, 300 Forest Street, Peabody, 978-535-5450; Mello Transfer Station, 203 E. Main Street, Georgetown, 978-352-9948; and Marblehead Transfer Station, 5 Woodfin Terrace, 781-631-4751, which wants construction material cut to 2-foot lengths. The handout is undated, so phone numbers and rules may have changed.

Construction and demolition debris is banned from landfills and is not collected at the curb.

JUNKRUN skips the drive: we load from inside, haul to a licensed facility and charge a flat price. A quarter trailer is $209, a half $319, a full trailer $519, with a $159 minimum and no travel fee. Checked November 2026.

Will the DPW Yard take it?

ItemLast-Saturday drop-offWhere else
Refrigerator, freezer, AC unitYes, freeNational Grid appliance recycling, or JUNKRUN with freon recovery
Washer, dryer, stove, water heaterYes, freeRepublic bulk pickup (call 781-289-0500)
Bed frame (metal)YesRepublic bulk pickup
TV or computer monitorNoBest Buy or Staples, per the town FAQ
Mattress or box springNoTown mattress program: $30 per piece, 2nd and 4th Saturday
Tires, glass, light bulbs, paintNoHazardous waste event; bulbs at Town Hall 3rd floor
Wood or upholstered furnitureNoRepublic bulk pickup or JUNKRUN

Local resources in Swampscott

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

Where is the Swampscott dump?

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There is no town dump. The DPW Yard at 200 Paradise Road holds a free metal, Styrofoam and cardboard drop-off on the last Saturday of the month.

What are the hours for Swampscott metal recycling?

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8 a.m. to noon on the last Saturday of the month, except January and February, per the town's list. Call 781-596-8850 to confirm.

Can I bring a TV to the Swampscott drop-off?

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No. Televisions and computer monitors are on the unacceptable list. The town points residents to retailers such as Best Buy.

Does Swampscott have a bulky waste drop-off site?

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No. Bulky items are collected curbside by appointment through Republic Services at 781-289-0500.

Sources

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

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