Leaf and yard waste pickup in Wakefield, MA
The two Saturdays and the set-out rules
Yard waste is collected on Saturday, November 7 and Saturday, November 21. Put leaves in biodegradable paper bags or in barrels before 7 a.m.; plastic bags cannot be collected. Branches must be cut to 3 feet or less and tied in bundles no thicker than 18 inches.
A gap of two weeks between the Saturdays is short for a lot with large oaks or maples, and a barrel fills fast. If you have more than a dozen bags, split them across both dates, since the town page does not give a bag limit, and a very large pile may not fit the truck on the day.
Nahant Street, the Pit
Residents can take leaves, grass, shrubs and brush to the Nahant Street site with a $25 yearly permit, available from the DPW office at Town Hall or online. It is open April through December, weather permitting, The town pages do not list regular days or hours, so call the DPW at 781-246-6301, extension 4120.
The site also has a free scrap metal dumpster and a cardboard container, which do not need a permit.
When we haul it
For a hedge removal, a storm limb or a yard with more than the Saturday service can take, we load by the trailer: $209 for a quarter, $319 for a half, $409 for three quarters and $519 for a full load. Single boxes or bags are $11 each. Heavy wet leaves fill a trailer faster than the photo suggests, so we price from the photos and confirm by text. Tell us if there are thorny shrubs or long limbs in the pile so we plan the loading. Hedge clippings and brush can be bundled by you ahead of time if you want to keep the crew time down.
Wakefield yard waste dates this fall
- Sat Nov 7
Curbside yard waste, paper bags or barrels, out before 7 a.m.
- Sat Nov 21
Last scheduled curbside Saturday.
- Fri Nov 27
Bonus day at the Nahant Street site, 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., permit required.
- December
Site is open through December, weather permitting; call 781-246-6301 ext 4120.
Local resources in Wakefield
Donation, reuse and recycling options near the pickup. We are not affiliated with these; confirm hours and what they accept before you go.
- Transfer station
Nahant Street Yard Waste Site ("the Pit")
Accepts: Leaves, grass, clippings, shrubs and brush
The one town drop-off; regular hours are not posted online, so call the DPW first. In Wakefield itself.
Nahant Street, Wakefield, MA 01880 - Town
Wakefield Town Hall (DPW office)
Accepts: Bulky item and white goods stickers ($20), yard waste permits ($25), cell phone and eyeglass drop in the lobby
Buy stickers and the Nahant Street permit here or online; extension 4120 answers pickup questions. In Wakefield itself.
1 Lafayette St, Wakefield, MA 01880
Quick answers
Are plastic bags allowed?
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No. Wakefield cannot collect leaves in plastic bags.
How long can branches be?
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3 feet or less, tied in bundles under 18 inches across.
Who gets the Nahant Street permit?
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Residents with proof of residency, $25 per year.
Sources
Rules, fees and hours change, so confirm with Wakefield before you go.
- Wakefield: Yard Waste: “Saturdays: May 16, November 7, and November 21, 2026” · accessed October 31, 2026
- Wakefield: Recycling (Nahant Street site): “A disposal container is available to residents when the yard waste site is open, and no permit is required to use it” · accessed October 31, 2026
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