Lowell trash & recycling schedule
Trash is picked up weekly; your day depends on your ZIP.
At a glance
| Trash | City-owned red 64-gallon trash cart (1/unit); ≤64 gal weekly capacity; lid closed (open lid → fines / no pickup). Verified 2026-10-15 · lowellma.gov |
|---|---|
| Curbside | Night before collection (city); Waste Management (WM) location page also cites 7 a.m. Curbside. Checklist Verified 2026-10-15 · lowellma.gov |
| Recycling | Green cart every other week (green or blue lid by neighborhood — Recycling page). Verified 2026-10-15 · lowellma.gov |
| Bulk | Bulk: Must schedule with Waste Management (WM) — (Most Common Questions page). Bulk page Verified 2026-10-15 · lowellma.gov |
| Hauler | Waste Management (City contract). |
| Contacts | SW&R **978-674-4309**; [email protected]; **1365 Middlesex St**; City Hall **978-674-4000**. Verified 2026-10-15 · lowellma.gov |
Curbside
Curbside checklist
City rules before collection day. Confirm with the city if anything looks off.
When
Night before collection (city); Waste Management (WM) location page also cites 7 a.m. Curbside.
Where
Curb edge; sealed lids; clearances per SW&R diagram.
Limits
64-gal (or 34-gal elderly) trash; additional cart set $335/year ($600 non-owner-occupied) per Trash page. Purple overflow bags when exceeding cart.
Not allowed
MassDEP waste bans listed on Trash page (C&D, white goods, mattresses, textiles, yard waste in trash, etc.); textiles/mattresses need separate programs.
Bags
Bag trash inside cart; overflow in official purple bags only when allowed.
Verified 2026-10-15 · lowellma.gov
Add curbside reminder to Google CalendarFind your pickup day
Lowell collection schedule / LowellRecycle app
Verified 2026-10-15 · lowellma.gov
Holidays
SW&R page lists yard-waste seasons; trash/recycling holiday delays per 2026 Trash and Recycle Calendar (lowell.net PDF linked from city). Cart rules: rejection stickers = don't report miss until corrected.
Verified 2026-10-15 · lowellma.gov
Private junk pickup
Same-week haul for furniture or a cleanout in Lowell. Not affiliated with Town Rulebook or your city — you book directly.
Opens the vendor site. We do not book or take payment.
Show more
Full details for Lowell: every rule, with sources
- Trash
- City Waste Management contract for enrolled residents. City-owned red 64-gallon trash cart (1/unit); ≤64 gal weekly capacity; lid closed (open lid → fines / no pickup). Elderly discount tier: 34-gallon cart (Trash page). Set carts out night before collection; at curb edge; <250 lb cart weight; arm's length from vehicles/obstacles (diagram on SW&R page). Overflow beyond cart requires purple overflow bags (Trash page). Wrong-address cart use: fines up to $200. Early set-out / wrong property: up to $100 (Curbside Collection).
- Recycling
- Green cart every other week (green or blue lid by neighborhood — Recycling page). Loose recyclables; #1, #2, #5 plastics yes; 3,4,6,7 no (city list). No textiles, Styrofoam, electronics, wood, tanglers. Extra recycling drop-off: Public Works 1365 Middlesex St, Tue–Thu 10 a.m.–3 p.m. (call for compactor access).
- Bulk pickup
- Must schedule with Waste Management (WM) — 1-800-972-4545 (Most Common Questions page). Not placed with regular trash. Mattresses/box springs: UTEC scheduling (state ban). Contract memo (2026): enhanced daily bulk collection and 24/7 online bulk/white-goods scheduling vs prior biweekly bulk — check the city page.
- Curbside: when
- Night before collection (city); Waste Management (WM) location page also cites 7 a.m. Curbside.
- Curbside: where
- Curb edge; sealed lids; clearances per SW&R diagram.
- Curbside: limits
- 64-gal (or 34-gal elderly) trash; additional cart set $335/year ($600 non-owner-occupied) per Trash page. Purple overflow bags when exceeding cart.
- Curbside: brush
- Yard waste: Mar 17–May 23 weekly; May 27–Oct 10 biweekly (opposite recycling week); Oct 13–Dec 19 weekly. Stickers at Public Works, City Hall, Senior Center. Resident-supplied barrels/paper bags.
- Curbside: not allowed
- MassDEP waste bans listed on Trash page (C&D, white goods, mattresses, textiles, yard waste in trash, etc.); textiles/mattresses need separate programs.
- Curbside: bags
- Bag trash inside cart; overflow in official purple bags only when allowed.
- Curbside: fees and fines
- Up to $200 wrong cart; up to $100 early/wrong-property set-out (Curbside Collection).
- Holidays
SW&R page lists yard-waste seasons; trash/recycling holiday delays per 2026 Trash and Recycle Calendar (lowell.net PDF linked from city). Cart rules: rejection stickers = don't report miss until corrected.
- Hauler
- Waste Management (City contract)
- Contacts
- SW&R **978-674-4309**; [email protected]; **1365 Middlesex St**; City Hall **978-674-4000**
- Find your day
- Lowell collection schedule / LowellRecycle app
- Sources
- Trash and recycling: lowellma.gov
Bulk: lowellma.gov
Holidays: lowellma.gov
Curbside: lowellma.gov - Verified
- 2026-10-15
Town Rulebook is independent and not affiliated with any city or hauler. Schedules change — always confirm with your city. About & disclaimer