Print
Share page with AddThis

New Automated Trash & Recycling Program

Posted on: June 1, 2026 - 10:40am
trash

What’s Changing?

  • New Wheeled Collection Carts will be delivered to your home between 6/8 - 6/13/26.
    • Standard Size: A 65-gallon trash cart and a 95-gallon recycling cart.
    • Angel Brook & Hillside Residents: You will receive 35-gallon carts.
    • Alternate size cart requests (35-gallon trash of 65-gallon) may be made for Senior Discount customers with the first billing (subject to availability).
    • All other request may be made after January 1, 2027 (subject to availability).
  • No More "Pay-As-You-Thrw" (PAYT) Bags: Trash must still be bagged but special town-branded bags are no longer required starting July 1 but only you can help control the tonnage we dispose of and keep the rates low! (See Other side for tips)
  • Quarterly Billing: Property owners will receive a quarterly bill of $117 starting in June, for July, August and September.
  • Senior Discount: You may apply for a Senior Discounted Rate ($81.90/quarter) if you own the home, have it as your primary residence, and one of the residing owners is 65 years old or older.  Applications and instructions will be included with the first billing.
  • You can pay online - Go to the Town Website homepage, click on "Pay Bills Online", and find the option under "Utility Bills" and select "Solid Waste (Trash)" or click here for the direct link.

What’s Staying the Same?

  • Eligibility: Curbside service remains available for residential properties with four units or less and for individually owned condominiums
  • Schedule: Your weekly trash and recycling collection days will not change.
  • Recycling Rules:
    • No Bags: Do not bag your recycling; items should be loose in the cart.
    • Cardboard: Must be cut down to fit inside the cart without jamming. It must be able to fall out easily when lifted by the automated arm.

Keep Costs Down: Reduce Our Waste Weight!

A major cost in our waste program is tied directly to disposing of the tonnage we collect.  Reducing the weight of your trash isn’t just good for the environment; it is in your interest by helping to keep program costs stable.

Always think Reduce first!

Manage Food Waste - Almost 1/3 of household trash weight comes from food!  Food waste is heavy, wet, and expensive to transport.
  • Eat or Freeze: Keep an eye on leftovers and expiration dates to reduce waste.
  • Compost at Home: Start a bin for fruit peels, coffee grounds, and vegetable scraps. It’s the single most effective way to drop your trash weight.  Avoid meat and dairy in your home bin so it doesn't attract unwanted "visitors".
  • Resources: Check out the Mass.gov Guide to Home Composting.
  • Use/Reuse Tote Bags for grocery and other trips
  • Opt-In to Common Delivery Days: Amazon and others have an option to combine your deliveries onto one package or the use of manufactures packaging

Next think Reuse! Before you toss it, ask if it has a second life:

  • Repair: A quick fix can often extend the life of furniture or electronics, saving you money and reducing town tonnage.

Finally think Recycle!

  • Donate: Pass on items that are still in good condition.

Textiles (clothing, linens, shoes) are banned from the trash in Massachusetts. Unless they are wet or moldy, drop them off at one of these local collection carts:

  • West Boylston High School
  • Wachusett Watershed Regional Recycling Center
  • Our Lady of Good Counsel or Oakdale United Methodist Church
  • The Mill  or Xpress Stop
  • Surfside Pools or Wachusett Farms
  • Buy Second-Hand: Shop at thrift stores or online marketplaces to keep items out of the waste stream entirely.