Boston Compliance Hub: Household Hazardous Waste & Electronics — Scheduled + Special Collection Options — Boston, MA

This regional hub is designed to help Boston residents and multifamily property managers identify the correct recycling or special-disposal pathway for materials that require special handling—including household hazardous waste, certain electronics containing cathode-ray tubes (CRTs), appliances containing refrigerants, mattresses, textiles, and other materials subject to Massachusetts waste-disposal restrictions. [1] [11] [15]

Important Distinction: Boston does not operate a permanent daily municipal household-hazardous-waste drop-off center. Household hazardous materials are principally collected through scheduled Zero Waste Days and Zero Waste Pop-Ups. Electronics have additional pathways, including qualifying City special-item collection, retail programs, manufacturer programs, reuse options, and Boston's Zero Waste Directory. [1] [3] [15]

Boston Zero Waste Days: Household Hazardous Waste + Hard-to-Recycle Materials

The Scheduled-Event Reality: Boston's Zero Waste Days accept household hazardous materials and certain waste-ban or hard-to-recycle items on scheduled dates. Residents should not drive to a Public Works facility expecting daily household-hazardous-waste service. [1]

Accepted Examples: Boston currently lists electronics, rechargeable batteries, chemicals, oil-based paint, certain automotive materials, lightbulbs, textiles, and other event-specific materials. Always confirm the current accepted-material list before traveling. [1]

Paint Clarification: Boston states that latex and acrylic water-based paint are not hazardous. The City instructs residents to dry those paints before placing them in regular trash. Oil-based paint requires an appropriate hazardous-material disposal pathway. [1]

Chemical Quantity Limits: Boston currently limits paint, motor oil, gasoline, and chemicals at Zero Waste events to 20 gallons total, with individual containers no larger than 5 gallons. [1]

Critical Eligibility Rule: Residents Only — No Business Waste

Boston Residency Required: Zero Waste Days are available to Boston residents. Boston requires proof of residency such as a photo ID, utility bill, or lease. [1]

Business Waste Is Not Accepted: The City expressly states that Zero Waste events do not accept waste from businesses and do not accept commercial or industrial waste. [1]

Property Manager Warning: A resident may use an eligible residential program for qualifying waste generated by that resident, but property-generated maintenance chemicals, accumulated management-office electronics, contractor waste, or other commercially generated materials should not be routed through Boston's residential Zero Waste Day program. Property management should use an appropriate commercial recycling, hazardous-waste, or disposal provider for business-generated material.

Zero Waste Day Locations Rotate — Verify Every Event

Do Not Assume One Permanent Location: Boston rotates Zero Waste events among Public Works locations. Published 2026 events include locations such as the West Roxbury DPW facility at 315 Gardner Street and the Central DPW Facility at 400 Frontage Road. Dates, entrances, hours, and accepted materials can vary. [1] [2]

Action: Check the current Boston.gov Zero Waste Day schedule before traveling.

  • Program: Boston Zero Waste Days / Zero Waste Pop-Ups [1]
  • Example Central Location: Central DPW Facility — 400 Frontage Rd, Boston, MA 02118 when identified for a scheduled event. [2]
  • Hours: Event-specific — confirm before traveling. [1]
  • Eligibility: Boston residents; proof of residency required. [1]
  • Not Accepted: Business, commercial, or industrial waste. [1]

Boston's “7+ Unit” Recycling Ordinance — Important City-Service Exemption

Large Residential Building: Boston Municipal Code §7-13A defines a Large Residential Building as a residential building with more than six units—commonly described as a 7+ unit building. [4]

City-Program Requirement: When §7-13A applies, owners must provide residents access to the City's recycling programs and services as required by the ordinance. [5]

Critical Exemption: §7-13A.4(B) expressly states that a large residential building from which the City does not collect trash is exempt from the requirements of §7-13A. Boston's current large-building guidance similarly states that a building may opt out of the City's program requirements by purchasing private waste-collection services. [6] [9]

Property Manager Rule: Do not assume that every Boston apartment building with seven or more units is subject to exactly the same City-cart requirements. First determine whether the property receives City trash collection or operates under a qualifying private waste-collection arrangement.

When §7-13A Applies: Recycling Access, Distance & Resident Education

Resident Request / City Notice: Under §7-13A.3, after the City's Recycling Coordinator receives a resident request and notifies the owner, the owner generally has 30 days to provide access to the City's recycling program. [5]

Cart Location: The ordinance provides for an adequate number of recycling carts in a common area not more than 350 feet from a point of egress of the large residential building and as close as practicable to the existing trash-removal containers. If conventional cart placement is impracticable, the ordinance provides a process for alternative measures. [5]

Recycling Guide: §7-13A.5 requires owners to post a recycling guide in a clearly visible location near the main entrance or installed recycling carts. The guide must also be delivered to each unit when recycling carts are installed. [7]

New Residents: An owner must provide the recycling guide to each new resident within 14 calendar days after the resident begins occupancy. [7]

Boston §7-13A Enforcement: Notice First, Then $150–$300 Per Violation Per Day

First Failure to Comply: Boston §7-13A.6 provides that the Inspectional Services Department responds to an owner's first failure to comply by issuing a written notice of violation providing 30 days to correct the violation. [8]

Failure to Correct: An owner who fails to comply with the notice of violation or another order issued under §7-13A may be subject to a fine of not less than $150 and not more than $300 per violation per day. [8]

Compliance Takeaway: The ordinance should not be summarized as an automatic "$150–$300 daily fine" simply because recycling access is questioned. The Code establishes a notice-and-correction process before those monetary penalties apply.

Private Waste Collection: Verify Your Hauler's Recycling Offering

Private-Service Properties: A 7+ unit building from which Boston does not collect trash is exempt from §7-13A, but that does not mean recycling obligations disappear from every part of the waste system. [6]

Permitted Haulers: Boston §7-13.8.4 requires permitted waste haulers, as a condition of their permit, to offer their commercial solid-waste customers services for collecting and properly disposing of recyclables. [16]

Hauler Penalties: The related commercial-hauler provisions establish $150 for a first violation, $300 for a second violation, and permit revocation on a third violation for specified failures under the commercial recycling provisions. These penalties apply to the affected hauler and should not automatically be attributed to an apartment owner. [17]

Property Manager Action: If your community uses private waste collection, document whether recycling is included, what materials are accepted, container requirements, service frequency, contamination procedures, and where the material is processed.

How We Solve This For You (National Doorstep)

Compliance is operational. National Doorstep helps property management structure doorstep waste and recycling routines around the property's existing City or private waste system, resident instructions, container configuration, contamination controls, and downstream hauling arrangements.

For Boston communities using applicable City recycling service, resident education and property processes can be structured to support the recycling-access and recycling-guide requirements described in §7-13A. For privately serviced properties, programs should instead be coordinated with the property's authorized private waste and recycling providers.

National Doorstep's standard doorstep service moves resident-setout material from apartment doors to property-designated containers on private property. It does not replace the property's municipal or private off-site hauling and final-processing arrangement.

CTA: Request a Free Compliance Audit for your Boston Property

Massachusetts Mattress Waste Ban — Recycling Required for Covered Mattresses

State Requirement: Effective November 1, 2022, Massachusetts bans covered mattresses and box springs from disposal or transport for disposal. MassDEP regulations contain specific definitions and exclusions, including certain contaminated mattresses. [11] [12]

Buildings With 1–6 Units: Boston provides appointment-based mattress collection to eligible residents in buildings with six units or fewer. Mattresses and box springs cannot simply be placed out with ordinary curbside trash. [13]

Buildings With 7+ Units: Boston does not provide its mattress collection service to residents of buildings with more than six units. Residents are instructed to contact property management for the proper recycling pathway. Boston's large-building guidance directs these properties toward a mattress recycling hauler. [9] [13]

Property Manager Action: Establish a written mattress-recycling procedure for 7+ unit communities, identify the property's approved recycler/hauler, communicate fees or scheduling requirements to residents, and prevent mattresses from being placed in ordinary dumpsters.

Massachusetts Textile Waste Ban — Boston Drop Boxes + Curbside Collection

State Requirement: Massachusetts bans covered textiles from disposal or transport for disposal. [11]

Boston Options: The City provides three principal resident pathways: pink-sticker textile drop boxes, scheduled curbside textile collection, and Zero Waste Days. [14]

Accepted Condition: Worn, torn, and stained textiles may generally still have recovery value. Boston's current guidance says accepted items should be clean, dry, and odorless. Wet, moldy, or otherwise soiled material may be excluded and should follow the City's current disposal guidance. [14]

Property Manager Action: Provide residents with the City's current textile-recovery options rather than directing reusable or recyclable textiles into ordinary trash.

Electronics: Zero Waste Days + Special Collection + Retail Options

Not All Electronics Have the Same Legal Status: Massachusetts' statewide waste-ban list specifically includes cathode-ray tubes (CRTs). The State waste-ban list should not be interpreted as saying that every electronic device is independently prohibited from ordinary disposal under the same CRT rule. [11]

Boston Special Collection: Boston provides appointment-based special collection for qualifying items containing CRTs and refrigerants, including listed televisions, computer monitors, certain laptops, refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners, and similar appliances. [15]

Collection Limits: Boston currently limits special-item collection to 10 special items per calendar year and a maximum of 5 items per appointment. The City does not collect special items without an appointment and does not collect commercial-grade items through this residential service. [15]

Large Building Eligibility: Boston's large-residential-building guidance states that when a building receives City trash and recycling service, qualifying special items may be scheduled through 311. Properties using private waste collection should confirm their applicable private pathway. [9]

Retail / Alternate Options: Boston's Zero Waste Directory identifies retail drop-off, mail-in, pickup, reuse, and other recycling options. Retail acceptance rules, quantity limits, fees, and residential/business eligibility vary by provider and should be confirmed before transporting material. [3] [18] [19]

Boston Multifamily Property Manager Compliance Checklist

  • Confirm City vs. Private Collection: Determine whether the property receives Boston municipal trash collection or uses private collection before applying §7-13A.
  • For Applicable 7+ Unit City-Service Buildings: Maintain adequate recycling access, follow City cart and collection procedures, and respond promptly to any Recycling Coordinator or Inspectional Services notice.
  • Recycling Access: Where §7-13A.3 applies following City notice, ensure carts are in a common area no more than 350 feet from a point of egress and as close as practicable to existing trash containers, or obtain approval for an alternative method.
  • Resident Guides: Post the required recycling guide near the main entrance or recycling carts, distribute it when carts are installed, and provide it to new residents within 14 calendar days.
  • Private-Hauler Properties: Document the private hauler's recycling offering, materials accepted, service frequency, contamination rules, and downstream recycling pathway.
  • Mattresses: For 7+ unit properties, establish a private mattress-recycling pathway and provide clear resident scheduling/instruction procedures.
  • Textiles: Direct residents to Boston's textile drop boxes, curbside textile program, or eligible Zero Waste events rather than ordinary trash for recoverable textiles.
  • Electronics: Distinguish resident electronics from property-generated or commercial-grade electronics. Do not treat Boston's resident events or special collection as a commercial property e-waste program.
  • Household Hazardous Waste: Do not direct property-generated commercial or maintenance waste to resident-only Zero Waste Days. Use an appropriate commercial hazardous-waste pathway.
  • Documentation: Keep current hauler agreements, recycling-service specifications, resident guides, mattress/e-waste procedures, service records, and compliance correspondence available for property operations.

Compliance Note: This page provides general property-management and operational information and is not legal advice. Boston programs, eligibility rules, collection schedules, retailer programs, ordinance interpretations, and Massachusetts waste-ban regulations can change. Property owners and managers should verify current requirements with the City of Boston, MassDEP, their waste/recycling provider, and qualified counsel when necessary.

EEAT Sources: [1] City of Boston: Zero Waste Days — schedule, eligibility, resident-only rule, accepted materials, quantity limits & business-waste exclusion  |  [2] City of Boston: Zero Waste Day — Central DPW Facility event example  |  [3] City of Boston: Zero Waste Directory — retail drop-off, recycling, reuse & alternate disposal options  |  [4] Boston Municipal Code §7-13A — Large Residential Buildings With More Than Six Units  |  [5] Boston Municipal Code §7-13A.3 — Access to Recycling Programs & Services; 30-day process; 350-foot standard  |  [6] Boston Municipal Code §7-13A.4 — Exemption for large residential buildings where City does not collect trash  |  [7] Boston Municipal Code §7-13A.5 — Recycling guides; posting & 14-day new-resident requirement  |  [8] Boston Municipal Code §7-13A.6 — Inspection, 30-day notice & $150–$300 per-violation-per-day penalties  |  [9] City of Boston: Trash & Recycling in Large Residential Buildings — operational guidance, private-service option & mattresses  |  [10] City of Boston: Boston 311  |  [11] MassDEP: Massachusetts Waste Disposal Bans — CRTs, mattresses, textiles & other banned materials  |  [12] MassDEP: Mattress Recycling — Massachusetts mattress waste ban  |  [13] City of Boston: Mattress Recycling — City eligibility for 1–6 units; 7+ unit property-manager pathway  |  [14] City of Boston: Clothing & Textile Recovery — drop boxes, curbside collection, Zero Waste Days & material-condition rules  |  [15] City of Boston: Special Collection Items — CRT/Freon items, appointments, limits & commercial-grade exclusion  |  [16] Boston Municipal Code §7-13.8.4 — Permitted haulers must offer recycling services to commercial solid-waste customers  |  [17] Boston Municipal Code §7-13.8.8 — Commercial recycling hauler penalties  |  [18] Best Buy: Electronics Recycling — current retailer acceptance rules  |  [19] Staples: In-Store Recycling — current accepted categories

Regulatory review date: August 8, 2026. Verify current Boston program status and ordinance amendments before relying on this page for a future compliance decision.

 
National Doorstep - The Valet Trash Service Experts

Boston apartment owners, asset managers, and on-site teams: multifamily recycling compliance in Suffolk County depends on both municipal rules and the statewide Massachusetts waste disposal bans. National Doorstep’s valet trash & recycling program can be structured around the City of Boston Code of Ordinances, applicable local requirements in Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop, and the property’s existing municipal or private hauling arrangement.

Boston defines a residential building with more than six (6) units as a large residential building. Section 7-13A establishes recycling-access requirements for covered large residential buildings participating in City trash collection. However, § 7-13A.4(B) expressly exempts a large residential building from which the City does not collect trash. Boston also states that a building may opt out of the City collection requirements by purchasing private waste-collection service.

Massachusetts requirements also operate independently of Boston’s ordinance. MassDEP currently bans numerous materials from disposal or transfer for disposal, including recyclable paper/cardboard, glass/metal/plastic containers, metals, CRTs, mattresses, textiles, white goods, lead-acid batteries, and other listed materials. MassDEP states that both waste generators and transporters are responsible for waste-ban compliance and specifically advises property managers to provide for recycling and help prevent banned materials from entering ordinary disposal streams.

  • Confirm Collection Model First: For a Boston 7+ unit property, determine whether the building receives City trash service or uses private waste collection before applying § 7-13A.
  • Boston Enforcement Has a Cure Period: A first § 7-13A compliance failure generally results in a written notice providing 30 days to correct the violation. Failure to comply with the notice or another order can then result in $150–$300 per violation per day.
  • Private Hauler ≠ No Recycling: Boston § 7-13.8.4 requires permitted haulers to offer commercial solid-waste customers services for collecting and properly disposing of recyclables.
  • Suffolk County Is Not One Regulatory Zone: Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop each have their own collection and recycling rules. Do not apply Boston § 7-13A outside Boston.
  • MassDEP Rules Apply Region-Wide: State waste bans operate independently of local municipal service eligibility and should be reflected in apartment waste-room rules, resident education, and hauler contracts.
  • National Doorstep Operating Model: Doorstep service should be coordinated with the property’s existing dumpsters, compactors, recycling containers, and downstream hauler rather than replacing the property’s off-site hauling and final-processing arrangement.

At a Glance: Boston vs. Other Suffolk County Municipalities

City of Boston

  • Large Building Definition: A residential building with more than six units.
  • § 7-13A Applicability: Applies to covered large residential buildings using applicable City trash/recycling collection. A large residential building from which the City does not collect trash is expressly exempt under § 7-13A.4(B).
  • Recycling Access Process: Under § 7-13A.3, following a resident request and Recycling Coordinator notice, the owner generally has 30 days to provide an adequate number of recycling carts.
  • Cart Location: Where § 7-13A.3 applies, carts generally must be in a common area no more than 350 feet from a point of egress and as close as practicable to the existing trash containers, unless an approved alternative applies.
  • Resident Guides: § 7-13A.5 requires recycling-guide posting and distribution, including providing the guide to new residents within 14 calendar days after occupancy begins.
  • Private Haulers: Boston § 7-13.8.4 requires permitted haulers to offer commercial customers recycling collection and proper-disposal services.
  • Key Boston Links: § 7-13A.3 — Recycling Access · § 7-13A.4 — Exemptions · Large Residential Buildings

Chelsea, Revere & Winthrop

  • No Boston § 7-13A: Boston’s large-residential-building ordinance should not be represented as a Suffolk County-wide rule.
  • Chelsea: Chelsea Board of Health regulations require residents and commercial establishments using City solid-waste collection to separate designated recyclables. Chelsea also regulates dumpsters, storage, and permitted private collection.
  • Revere: Revere Code § 8.06.040 states that recycling procedures are mandatory for all properties unless specifically exempted by DPW. Residential buildings with more than six units are treated as commercial trash generators and are not eligible for ordinary municipal curbside trash service.
  • Winthrop: Town curbside trash/recycling collection is limited to 1–3 unit dwellings. Businesses, institutions, and multifamily properties with more than three units must make private collection arrangements.
  • Massachusetts: MassDEP waste bans apply regardless of whether a property uses municipal or private collection.

Suffolk County Multifamily Recycling & Property Manager Information

Suffolk County includes Boston, Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop. The compliance structure is municipality-specific: Boston has its large-building recycling-access ordinance; Chelsea and Revere have separate mandatory recycling provisions; and Winthrop requires larger multifamily properties to arrange private waste service.

City / Town Recycling / Collection Rule Property Manager Information Enforcement / Risk Official Links
Boston Boston § 7-13A applies to covered large residential buildings with more than six units participating in applicable City collection. Buildings from which the City does not collect trash are expressly exempt from § 7-13A under § 7-13A.4(B). For City-service 7+ buildings: after the § 7-13A.3 notice process, provide an adequate number of qualifying recycling carts; locate them within the ordinance’s 350-foot standard unless an approved alternative applies; maintain the carts; and post/distribute recycling guides.

For private-service buildings: document the property's private trash and recycling arrangement. Boston requires permitted haulers to offer commercial customers recycling service. 		First § 7-13A compliance failure generally receives a 30-day correction notice. Failure to comply with the notice or another order may result in $150–$300 per violation per day. Separate sanitation/code tickets may apply to distinct set-out, storage, obstruction, or container violations. § 7-13A.3
§ 7-13A.4
§ 7-13A.5
§ 7-13A.6
Large Building Guidance
Chelsea Chelsea Board of Health Solid Waste Regulations § 9.1 require all residents and commercial establishments utilizing City solid-waste collection services to separate designated recyclables from other waste. Keep municipal solid waste in covered, watertight, rodent-resistant receptacles. Dumpsters must remain covered, and waste must remain entirely contained rather than overflowing or being placed outside the dumpster.

Private collection operators transporting waste or recyclables collected within Chelsea are generally subject to the City's vehicle-permitting requirements, subject to the regulation's stated exceptions. Property managers should verify that their downstream hauler is appropriately permitted. 		Chelsea's published Board of Health regulations provide escalating penalties of $75 for a first offense, $175 for a second offense, and $300 for a third or subsequent offense within one year. The regulations state that each day's offense may constitute a separate violation.

The mandatory recycling provision cited here specifically applies to City solid-waste collection customers; private-service properties should separately confirm local and MassDEP requirements. 		Chelsea Board of Health Solid Waste Regulations
City of Chelsea
Revere Revere § 8.06.040 states that recycling procedures and requirements are mandatory for all properties in the City unless specifically exempted by DPW.

Revere defines trash generated by a residential building with more than six units as commercial trash. 		Owners of residential buildings with more than six units are responsible for storage, disposal, and collection of their trash and are not eligible for ordinary municipal curbside trash pickup.

Private commercial collection must use appropriate rigid/leak-resistant covered containers. The owner or condominium association has a non-delegable responsibility to ensure proper trash-storage receptacles are provided.

For privately removed bulky/special items, review § 8.06.060 because advance placement and Inspectional Services notification requirements may apply. 		Chapter 8.06 is enforced by Revere Inspectional Services and is subject to the City's noncriminal enforcement provisions. Improper materials can be refused for collection, and noncompliant placement or storage can subject a property owner to penalties. Revere Code — Chapter 8.06
Revere Trash & Recycling Program
Winthrop Town curbside trash and recycling service is available to 1–3 unit dwellings only. Businesses, institutions, and multifamily properties with more than three units must make private arrangements. For 4+ unit multifamily communities, maintain a written private trash/recycling agreement that addresses service frequency, container capacity, recycling, contamination, prohibited materials, mattresses, textiles, and other MassDEP waste-ban items.

Do not assume Town residential carts or ordinary Town curbside procedures apply to the property. 		Town guidance states that noncompliant curbside material can be rejected and violations/fines may apply to municipal-service customers. For larger multifamily properties using private service, the principal waste-ban exposure also includes Massachusetts generator/hauler requirements. Winthrop — Managing Household Trash & Recycling
Town of Winthrop

Massachusetts Waste Bans: Important for Every Suffolk County Property

A property does not become exempt from Massachusetts waste-disposal requirements simply because it uses a private hauler or because its municipality lacks a Boston-style apartment recycling ordinance. MassDEP states that both organizations generating solid waste and those transporting it are responsible for complying with the waste bans.

  • Recyclable Paper / Cardboard: Covered recyclable paper, cardboard, and paperboard are banned from disposal.
  • Containers: Covered glass, metal, and plastic containers are included in the statewide waste-ban program.
  • Metals / White Goods: Ferrous and non-ferrous metals and covered large appliances are subject to waste-ban requirements.
  • CRTs: Cathode-ray tubes are banned from disposal.
  • Mattresses: Covered mattresses have been banned from disposal or transport for disposal since November 1, 2022, subject to applicable definitions and exemptions.
  • Textiles: Covered textiles have been banned from disposal or transport for disposal since November 1, 2022, subject to applicable exclusions for contaminated material.
  • Property Manager Action: Include waste-ban materials in resident education, bulk-item policies, move-out procedures, vendor scopes, dumpster signage, and downstream hauling agreements.

MassDEP — Waste Disposal Bans & Property Manager Compliance Guidance

Boston / Suffolk County Fines & Enforcement Snapshot

  • Boston § 7-13A — First Failure: Inspectional Services generally responds to the owner's first failure to comply by issuing a written notice providing 30 days to correct the violation.
  • Boston — Failure to Correct: An owner who fails to comply with a § 7-13A notice or other applicable order may be subject to $150–$300 per violation per day.
  • Boston — Continuing Violations: After the applicable correction period, each day's failure to comply with the notice may constitute an additional and separate violation.
  • Boston — Inspection Interference: Interference after a valid inspection warrant has been obtained and presented can also result in $150–$300 per day under § 7-13A.6.
  • Boston — Private Haulers: Permitted haulers must offer commercial customers recycling services. Boston's separate commercial recycling provisions contain hauler-specific sanctions; those penalties should not automatically be attributed to an apartment owner.
  • Chelsea: Chelsea's published Solid Waste Regulations provide $75 / $175 / $300 escalating penalties within a one-year period, with each day's offense potentially constituting a separate violation.
  • Revere: Chapter 8.06 violations are subject to Revere's incorporated noncriminal penalty provisions. Owners of dwellings and condominium associations have direct responsibilities for compliant waste storage and collection.
  • MassDEP: Waste-ban compliance can affect both generators and transporters. Noncompliant loads may also be rejected by facilities or generate contractual charges under the property's hauling agreement.
  • Risk Management Tip: Maintain a property compliance file containing hauler agreements, recycling specifications, cart/container information, resident guides, mattress/textile procedures, service logs, photographs, and government correspondence.

Boston Large Residential Building Recycling Compliance Checklist

Task Action / Requirement Helpful Links
☑ Confirm Building Status & Collection Model Verify that the property is inside the City of Boston, has more than six residential units, and determine whether the City collects the building's trash. A large residential building from which Boston does not collect trash is exempt from § 7-13A under § 7-13A.4(B). § 7-13A.4 — Exemption · Large Building Guidance
☑ Confirm § 7-13A.3 Access Requirements Where § 7-13A applies and the Recycling Coordinator issues notice following a resident request, the owner generally has 30 days to provide access by installing and maintaining an adequate number of recycling carts, unless an alternative measure or exemption is approved under the ordinance. § 7-13A.3 — Access to Recycling
☑ Size Recycling Capacity Boston's current large-building guidance specifies blue recycling carts generally ranging from 64–96 gallons, with lids, lift pockets, and lift bars.

The City's published recommended starting capacity for 96-gallon carts is: 7–10 units: 3 carts; 11–15 units: 4; 16–20 units: 5; 21–25 units: 6; then approximately one additional cart for every five units. Provide additional capacity when required to prevent overflow. 		Boston Cart & Capacity Guidance
☑ Map Cart Placement Where § 7-13A.3 applies, recycling carts generally must be placed in a common area within reasonable proximity not exceeding 350 feet from a point of egress and as close as practicable to the building's existing trash-removal dumpsters or containers. If conventional placement is impracticable, contact the Recycling Coordinator regarding alternative measures. § 7-13A.3 — 350-Foot / Alternative Measures
☑ Post & Deliver Recycling Guides Under § 7-13A.5, post a recycling guide in a clearly visible location as close as practicable to the main entrance or installed recycling carts. Deliver a guide to each unit when the recycling carts are installed and provide a guide to each new resident within 14 calendar days after residency begins. § 7-13A.5 — Recycling Guides · Boston Recycling Guidance
☑ Verify Private-Hauler Recycling If the property uses private waste service and is therefore outside the § 7-13A City-service framework, confirm the hauler's recycling service in writing. Boston § 7-13.8.4 requires permitted haulers to offer commercial solid-waste customers services for collecting and properly disposing of recyclables. § 7-13.8.4 — Permitted Haulers
☑ Align With MassDEP Waste Bans Update resident instructions and vendor procedures for recyclable paper/cardboard, containers, metals, CRTs, mattresses, textiles, white goods, and other banned materials. Do not limit the property program to mattresses and textiles alone. MassDEP Waste Disposal Bans
☑ Create Mattress & Textile Procedures Boston does not provide its City mattress collection service to buildings with more than six units. Establish an appropriate mattress-recycling pathway for large communities. Provide residents with current Boston/MassDEP textile recovery guidance rather than allowing covered textiles into ordinary trash. Boston Mattress Recycling · Boston Textile Recycling
☑ Coordinate Doorstep Service With Downstream Hauling Structure doorstep service so resident-setout waste is moved to property-designated containers on private property and remains integrated with the property's authorized municipal/private hauling and recycling arrangements. Do not represent doorstep collection as replacing off-site hauling, disposal, or recycling processing. National Doorstep — Program Review
☑ Maintain Inspector-Ready Records Keep current waste and recycling contracts, cart/container counts, resident guides, program notices, maintenance logs, 311/inspection correspondence, mattress/textile procedures, photographs of waste areas, and documentation showing correction of identified deficiencies. Boston 311 · Boston Trash & Recycling

Regional Property Manager Priorities: Boston, Chelsea, Revere & Winthrop

Market Before Contracting Service Waste Area / Container Priorities Resident Communication
Boston Confirm 7+ unit status and whether the property uses City or private collection. If private, verify the permitted hauler's recycling offering. For applicable City-service buildings, compare recycling capacity and placement with City guidance and § 7-13A. Maintain adequate covered containers and prevent overflow/obstruction. Maintain § 7-13A recycling guides where applicable. Include mattresses, textiles, electronics, contamination, set-out procedures, and special-item rules in resident materials.
Chelsea Determine whether the property uses City collection or a private hauler. Verify private-hauler permitting where applicable. Maintain covered, durable waste receptacles and covered dumpsters. Do not allow waste to overflow or accumulate outside the dumpster. For City-collection customers, reinforce mandatory separation of designated recyclables. For private-service properties, match resident instructions to the hauler's actual recycling specifications and MassDEP bans.
Revere For buildings with 7+ units, establish a private collection arrangement. Confirm the provider can support Revere's mandatory-recycling framework and state waste bans. Use proper covered, leak-resistant containers. Owners/condominium associations retain direct responsibility for appropriate receptacles. Explain recyclable separation, contamination, bulk/special items, and private-pickup procedures. Coordinate advance notice requirements for privately removed bulky/special items when applicable.
Winthrop For properties with 4+ units, secure private trash and recycling arrangements because Town curbside collection is limited to 1–3 unit dwellings. Right-size private containers for the property and establish overflow, mattress, textile, bulk-item, and move-out procedures. Make clear that Town residential-cart procedures do not automatically apply to larger multifamily properties. Provide private-provider instructions and MassDEP waste-ban guidance.

How National Doorstep Fits Into the Property’s Waste System

National Doorstep’s standard multifamily operating model is designed to work upstream from curbside/off-site hauling and recycling processing. Porters move properly prepared resident-setout material from apartment doors to property-designated dumpsters, compactors, or recycling containers on private property under ownership or authorized management approval.

The property’s municipal or private hauler remains responsible for its separate downstream function of off-site transportation, disposal, and/or recycling processing. Doorstep operations should therefore be coordinated with the property's existing hauling contract, collection schedule, container configuration, recycling stream, and local rules.

For Boston properties subject to § 7-13A, a valet recycling program should support—not replace—the property's compliance with applicable recycling-access, cart, resident-guide, and City collection requirements. For Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop, the program should instead be configured around the specific municipality's requirements and the property's actual private or municipal collection system.

Want to reduce recycling notices, contamination, overflow, and potential compliance exposure? Request a Free Compliance Audit for your Boston- or Suffolk County-area property . We’ll review your current collection model, waste/recycling containers, resident procedures, downstream hauling arrangement, and municipality-specific requirements and help structure a resident-friendly valet trash & recycling program around the rules that actually apply to the property.

Compliance Disclaimer: This page provides general operational and property-management information and is not legal advice. Municipal ordinances, collection eligibility, hauler contracts, MassDEP regulations, enforcement policies, and program requirements can change. Property owners and managers should verify current requirements with the applicable municipality, MassDEP, their waste/recycling provider, and qualified legal counsel where necessary.

Authoritative Ordinance & Policy Sources

Regulatory review date: August 8, 2026. Verify ordinance amendments, municipal service changes, enforcement policies, and MassDEP requirements before relying on this page for a future compliance decision.

Interested in talking about how we can work together? Here's our contact info.

National doorstep pickup

EVERY DOOR. EVERY NIGHT.®️