Leaf and Yard Waste Pickup in Waltham, MA

The leaf vacuum schedule

Loose leaves go at the curb before the Monday of your week, and the vacuum comes once. Weeks by trash day: Monday Oct 26-30, Tuesday Nov 2-6, Wednesday Nov 9-13, Thursday Nov 16-20 and Friday Nov 23-27. Leaves only, nothing in bags or mixed with branches, and never covering storm drains. If your week has passed, your leaves are not collected again by the vacuum and need paper bags in the yard waste schedule instead. Because the date depends on your trash day and not your street name, ask a neighbor whose trash day matches yours if the vacuum has already passed.

Bagged yard waste and branches

Capitol Waste collects in paper leaf bags or barrels marked yard waste, up to 50 lb. A-week homes run April 6 to December 4 and B-week homes April 13 to December 11, 2026. Twigs must be under 2 inches thick and 3 feet long. No stumps, logs, rocks, soil or mulch. Free yard waste stickers are at 165 Lexington St. Call 781-314-3390. That pickup does not take limbs thicker than 2 inches. Plastic bags are not mentioned among accepted containers, so stay with paper.

Larger yards and storm cleanup

A large lot under mature oaks can generate far more bags than a fortnightly pickup absorbs. A hauler can take the lot, loose or bagged, and branches over 2 inches that the city refuses. JunkRun's yard debris price is by trailer load: $209 for a quarter, $319 for a half, $519 for a full 12 cubic yard load. Wet leaves stack down tightly, so a load goes further than a dry one. That includes stump pieces and logs, which the city also excludes.

Waltham leaf vacuum, by trash day

Mon Oct 26-30
Monday-route streets (passed).
Tue Nov 2-6
Tuesday-route streets; leaves out before Mon Nov 2.
Wed Nov 9-13
Wednesday-route streets.
Thu Nov 16-20
Thursday-route streets.
Fri Nov 23-27
Friday-route streets.
Dec 4 / Dec 11
Last bagged yard waste for A-week and B-week homes.

Local resources in Waltham

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

Town
Waltham Recycling Department
Accepts: Free yard waste stickers at 165 Lexington St
Office hours Mon-Fri 8:30am-4:30pm; the place for questions on the city's rules. In Waltham itself.
165 Lexington St, Waltham, MA 02452
Website for Waltham Recycling Department 781-314-3390

Quick answers

Will the leaf vacuum come twice?

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No. It passes once per street in its week.

Can I bag leaves for the vacuum?

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The vacuum takes loose leaves only. Use paper bags for the regular yard waste pickup.

Sources

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

City of Waltham: Trash, Recycling and Yard Waste Schedule: “Must be in paper leaf bags or in barrels up to 50lbs” · accessed October 31, 2026

Leaf and yard waste pickup in Waltham, MA