Boston, MA · Hand-checked guideHow to get rid of junk in Boston, MA
Fact-checked · Sourced · Dated Last verified Sources
Before you pay anyone, know what the City already takes for free. Then, if you do hire a hauler, get the whole price in writing before a single thing goes on the truck.
The answer
In Boston, furniture goes out free with your regular curbside trash on your collection day.[2] Mattresses, TVs, fridges and air conditioners also go free, but only with a 311 appointment, and only for buildings with six units or fewer.[1][3] If you hire a junk hauler, ask for the total price in writing before loading starts.[12]
Independent guide, not a government website. Confirm with your city or the linked official source before acting; rules and fees change.
FREE What the City of Boston takes, and how
What can go out free, and what needs a booking?
| Item | How Boston takes it | The catch |
|---|---|---|
| Couches, dressers, tables, bikes | Free, regular curbside trash day[2][3] | No appointment. Out after 5 p.m. the night before, by 6 a.m. on the day.[2] |
| Mattresses and box springs | Free by appointment (online or 311)[1] | Buildings with 6 units or fewer only. 10 a year. No appointment, no pickup.[1] |
| Fridges, freezers, A/Cs, dehumidifiers, water coolers | Free by 311 appointment[3] | Doors off, food out, or they stay.[3] |
| TVs, monitors, laptops | Free by 311 appointment, or at a Zero Waste Day[3][5] | Not in a box. Wipe your data first.[3] |
| Construction debris, water heaters, plumbing fixtures, fences | Not collected by the City[2] | You need a private hauler.[2] |
| Oil-based paint, chemicals, rechargeable batteries, tires | Free at Zero Waste Day drop-offs[5] | Boston residents only, with proof of address.[5] |
Free
Mattresses
- Book online or call 311 (617-635-4500). The City won't take a mattress without an appointment.[1]
- Only for buildings with six units or fewer. Bigger buildings go through the property manager.[1]
- Put it where your trash goes, by 6 a.m. or after 5 p.m. the night before. Don't cut or crush it, and don't stack anything on it.[1]
- Soiled or bed-bug mattresses must be bagged and fully sealed.[1]
- Limit 10 per calendar year. Futons and toppers aren't accepted; those go out with regular trash.[1]
- Cancel before noon the day before. Missed pickup? Call 311 within 24 hours or you'll have to rebook.[1]
Free
Appliances and Freon
- State law keeps Freon items out of the trash, so Boston collects them by appointment: fridges, freezers, water coolers, ice makers, A/Cs and dehumidifiers.[3]
- Take every door off, including mini fridges, and empty the food. Don't smash anything.[3]
- Up to 5 items per appointment and 10 a year. Past that, you need a private hauler.[3]
- Washers, dishwashers and water heaters aren't special-collection items. Donate them or hire a hauler.[3]
Free
Electronics
Free
Hazardous waste: Zero Waste Days
- The next one is Saturday, Nov 21, 2026, at 315 Gardner Street, West Roxbury. It was moved there from Sept 26 because of a nor'easter.[5]
- Arrive 8:30 a.m. to noon, not before and not after.[5]
- Bring a photo ID, utility bill or lease. Boston residents only, no business waste.[5]
- Limit 20 gallons of paint, oil, gas and chemicals, in containers no bigger than 5 gallons.[5]
- Latex paint isn't hazardous. Dry it out and trash it. Plain alkaline batteries go in the trash too.[5]
- Not accepted: asbestos, construction debris, medical waste, explosives.[5]
Free
Construction debris
- The City doesn't collect construction debris, auto parts, plumbing fixtures, fences, water heaters or fire debris.[2]
- Brick, concrete, asphalt, clean drywall, wood and metal are on the Massachusetts waste-ban list. A private hauler has to take them.[2][11]
- Good leftover materials can be donated. See the reuse options below.
Neighborhood and building differences
- Your day depends on your address. Look it up on the City's schedule search: street number and name only, no unit or ZIP, and write numbered streets as words ("Sixth," not "6th"). The Trash Day app sends reminders and schedule changes.[6]
- Curb or alley. Special items go wherever your trash normally goes: the curb, a public alley or the dumpster area. Never private property, and not blocked by a car.[3]
- Seven units or more? The City won't take your mattress. Your property manager handles it, and the City lists local mattress recyclers for big buildings.[1][7]
- Big buildings in once-a-week neighborhoods. Some neighborhoods get collection only once a week. The City recommends twice-weekly service for large buildings and says to add a private hauler where needed.[7]
- West Roxbury. The Nov 21 Zero Waste Day is at 315 Gardner Street, and the Habitat ReStore is at 1580 VFW Parkway.[5][15]
- Roxbury / Mission Hill (02120). Boston Building Resources takes building-material donations at 100 Terrace Street.[16]
Before you hire a hauler: get the total price in writing
- Start with what's free.If it's furniture, a mattress, a fridge or a TV, Boston may take it for free (see above). Pay a hauler only for what the City won't take, or to have it carried out of the house.[1][2][3]
- Get the total price in writing.The Massachusetts Attorney General describes 940 CMR 38.00 this way: it requires “the clear and conspicuous disclosure of the total price of a product being advertised to consumers, including any fees, interest, charges, or other expenses necessary to complete a transaction.”[12] Ask for the total price by text or email before loading starts.
- Ask for their Boston hauler permit.Every commercial hauling truck that carries trash or debris on city streets needs a Public Works permit ($300 per truck, renewed every two years). Approved companies are listed on the City's site as officially authorized haulers, and hauling without a permit can draw a fine.[8]
- Moving things, not dumping them?Companies that move household goods within Massachusetts are regulated by the DPU, which publishes the list of movers and their rates.[14]
- Make sure it ends up somewhere legal.Dumping is fined by volume and place under Boston Code 23-22: $100 to $3,000. Appliances and TVs dumped anywhere are $2,000, and construction debris is $2,500.[9] The City's fine summary lists illegal dumping at $100 to $10,000.[4]
- If you have a pricing complaint.File a complaint with the Massachusetts Attorney General, online or at the Consumer Hotline, (617) 727-8400.[13]
Illegal dumping fines (Boston Code 23-22)
| What and where | Fine |
|---|---|
| Up to 1 cubic yard in an unauthorized container | $100[9] |
| Up to 1 cubic yard on a vacant lot, public way or public property | $250[9] |
| Up to 1 cubic yard in a park or playground | $500[9] |
| 1–5 cubic yards on a lot or public property / in a park | $1,000 / $1,500[9] |
| 5+ cubic yards on a lot or public property / in a park | $2,500 / $3,000[9] |
| TVs, major appliances, monitors (restricted waste), any amount | $2,000[9] |
| Construction debris, any amount | $2,500 + referral to B.E.S.T.[9] |
| Hazardous or toxic waste, any amount | $3,000 + referral to B.E.S.T.[9] |
From Boston Municipal Code 23-22, which sets fines for violations of M.G.L. c. 270 §16.[9] Report dumping to 311.[4][10]
Local options (not endorsements)
These are real local places and companies. Listing one isn't a recommendation, and we don't get paid by any of them. Call first, because hours and prices change.
Donate and reuse
Habitat for Humanity Greater Boston ReStore
1580 VFW Parkway, West Roxbury · 617-327-1170[15]
- Drop-off Tue–Sat, 9:30 a.m.–4 p.m. Store open Tue–Sat, 9:30–5.
- Takes working appliances under 8 years old, furniture in good shape, cabinets, building materials and tools.
- Won't take mattresses, box springs, futons, sofa beds, paint or hazardous materials.
- Pickup for qualifying items is scheduled through ReSupply.
From the ReStore's own page, checked Oct 21, 2026.[15]
Mattress recyclers the City lists (for buildings with 7+ units, or past the 10-a-year limit)
| Company | Where | Service and price as listed by the City |
|---|---|---|
| Tough Stuff Recycling | Fitchburg · 978-307-4118 | Pickup $75, drop-off $25 per piece (proof of Boston residency)[7] |
| HandUp Mattress Recycling & Upcycling | New Bedford · 774-271-8744 | Pickup; drop-off $35 per piece[7] |
| Green Mattress | Brockton · 781-720-9855 | Pickup and drop-off[7] |
| Mattress Pro Recycling | Newton · 857-404-2496 | Curbside pickup 7 days a week[7] |
| Casa Blanca Services | Framingham and Everett · 508-271-5655 | Pickup[7] |
| Truck Taxi | Dorchester · 800-332-6670 | Pickup, quote on request[7] |
| Lug Away Junk Removal | 617-893-9824 | Curbside $124, inside $174, king $245[7] |
| CC Junk Removal & Hauling | 774-284-5961 | $125 per piece, indoor removal included[7] |
| Burns Cleanout & Junk Removal | Lakeville · 774-260-1332 | $100 per mattress[7] |
From the City of Boston's large-building page, checked Oct 21, 2026.[7] This is the City's list of mattress recyclers, not its hauler-permit list. Before booking a company, check that it's on the City's authorized-hauler list.[8]
PAID Partner Optional partner products (pending)
Optional, and you don't need any of it. Once our affiliate applications are approved, we may earn a commission on these. No partner programs are active yet, so there are no links here. Partner listing terms
Mattress bags
Boston requires a fully sealed bag for soiled or bed-bug mattresses. They're sold at hardware stores, including Lowe's. Partner program: pending.
Moving boxes
Moving and clearing out at the same time? Box kits from uBoxes. Partner program: pending.
Mail-back recycling boxes
TerraCycle boxes for small items your bin won't take. Partner program: pending.
Paint hardener
Boston says to dry out latex paint before trashing it. Hardener speeds that up. Through Amazon. Partner program: pending.
Sources (16 official pages, checked Oct 21, 2026)
- City of Boston, “Mattress Recycling.” https://www.boston.gov/departments/public-works/mattress-recycling. Checked Oct 21, 2026.
- City of Boston, “Trash.” https://www.boston.gov/departments/public-works/trash. Checked Oct 21, 2026.
- City of Boston, “Special Collection Items.” https://www.boston.gov/departments/public-works/special-collection-items. Checked Oct 21, 2026.
- City of Boston, “Trash and Recycling (code violation fines).” https://www.boston.gov/trash-and-recycling. Checked Oct 21, 2026.
- City of Boston, “Zero Waste Days.” https://www.boston.gov/departments/public-works/zero-waste-day. Checked Oct 21, 2026.
- City of Boston, “Waste Collection Schedule and Search.” https://www.boston.gov/departments/public-works/trash-and-recycling-day-schedule-and-search. Checked Oct 21, 2026.
- City of Boston, “Trash and Recycling in Large Residential Buildings.” https://www.boston.gov/departments/public-works/large-residential-buildings. Checked Oct 21, 2026.
- City of Boston, “Commercial Hauler Permits.” https://www.boston.gov/departments/public-works/commercial-hauler-permits. Checked Oct 21, 2026.
- City of Boston Municipal Code (American Legal Publishing), “Rubbish Disposal; Penalty.” https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/boston/latest/boston_ma/0-0-0-15502. Checked Oct 21, 2026.
- City of Boston, “Boston 311.” https://www.boston.gov/departments/boston-311. Checked Oct 21, 2026.
- MassDEP, “Waste Disposal Bans (310 CMR 19.017).” https://www.mass.gov/guides/massdep-waste-disposal-bans. Checked Oct 21, 2026.
- Massachusetts Attorney General, “940 CMR 38.00 Unfair and Deceptive Fees.” https://www.mass.gov/regulations/940-CMR-3800-unfair-and-deceptive-fees. Checked Oct 21, 2026.
- Massachusetts Attorney General, “File a Consumer Complaint.” https://www.mass.gov/how-to/file-a-consumer-complaint. Checked Oct 21, 2026.
- Massachusetts DPU, “Moving Companies Regulated by the DPU.” https://www.mass.gov/info-details/moving-companies-regulated-by-the-department-of-public-utilities-dpu. Checked Oct 21, 2026.
- Habitat for Humanity Greater Boston, “ReStore (provider's own page).” https://habitatboston.org/restore/. Checked Oct 21, 2026.
- Boston Building Resources, “Store Information (provider's own page).” https://www.bostonbuildingresources.com/pages/store-information. Checked Oct 21, 2026.
Each numbered citation [n] above links to its source. Last checked Oct 21, 2026. Rules change, so confirm before you set anything out.
Hand-written guide. Every rule was re-read on the official page on Oct 21, 2026. Get Rid Map is independent and isn't a government website.