How to get rid of yard waste in Massachusetts

Statewide yard waste ban

MassDEP lists leaves and yard waste among materials banned from disposal or transfer for disposal. Treated and untreated wood and wood waste are banned from landfills (shredded or recycled options vary). Use municipal compost or brush areas, home composting, or a permitted processor. Confirm size limits (diameter/length) and diseased plant rules with your town.

Source: MassDEP Waste Disposal Bans.

Town pages with yard waste or brush notes

• Amherst - Leaves/grass/non-woody free; woody brush fee per ton.
• Attleboro - Compost bin purchase: $37 Compost Center at the same address is open April 1 through November 30 with different hours.
• Bourne - Yard waste, brush, and stumps listed as acceptable at the Residential Recycling Center (RRC Policy PDF). Landfill/C&D hours limit brush and yard waste after 3 p.m. weekdays and on Tuesday off-season.
• Brewster - Brush and leaves/grass priced by load size on the fee schedule; first 3 bags/barrels of rakeable yard waste free.
• Bridgewater - Hazardous waste, brush, leaves: Not accepted
• Carver - At shared Wareham facility: Yard debris / light metal at Municipal Maintenance: 2nd and 4th Saturday each month, 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (per FAQ)
• Chatham - Brush priced by vehicle size ($10 auto / $35 pickup or trailer / $48 one-ton).
• Dartmouth - Yard waste (leaves/grass): Free at Water Pollution Control Facility 759 Russells Mills Road (not at the Transfer Station); sticker required
• Dennis - Logs, brush, shrubs: pickup truck or trailer $60 each. Grass clippings and leaves listed under residential recycling on the town fee page.
• Eastham - Residential leaves and grass free; Christmas trees in recycling list; brush/vines/stumps not in free yard-waste stream.
• Falmouth - Yard Waste and Leaf Compost Facility is separate at 565 Blacksmith Shop Road (Tue/Thu/Sat 7:45 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.) and needs the annual sticker.
• Framingham - Confirm yard-waste drop-off rules with Framingham DPW; C&D and landscaping debris not accepted as C&D at RDC.
• Greenfield - Brush $10/$20 per cy; leaves/grass free resident / $1.50 bag non-resident.
• Harwich - Brush $60 per ton; commercial leaves $40 per ton.
• Hingham - Brush/tree/limbs/grass/leaves on commercial vehicle schedule: $500/ton ($30 min). Confirm resident brush rules with DPW.
• Kingston - Grass, leaves, and garden waste in composting area (no brush). Brush only on scheduled third-Saturday chipping days in April, July, and October.
• Lincoln - DPW yard at 30 Lewis Street with sticker.
• Middleborough - Brush (max 3 in / 4 ft), leaves, grass, hay, manure accepted with permit (those visits not punched).
• Needham - Residential yard waste generally no bag fee per DPW FAQ; commercial brush $60/ton; commercial leaves/grass $50/ton.
• Northampton - Included with permit at Gate 2 (Apr-Nov schedule); brush max 4 ft / 6 in diameter.
• Orleans - Residential leaves and grass free per trip; brush priced by vehicle size. Christmas tree free. Commercial brush prohibited.
• Pittsfield - Free with valid resident sticker; no trailers/commercial vehicles.
• Plymouth - Earth Machine compost bin: $55 (check or money order) at station or DPW 159 Camelot Drive
• Sudbury - Leaves free; brush not accepted.
• Taunton - Yard waste per 30-gal paper bag or 32-gal barrel: $2 Yard waste per pickup truck or trailer: $25 (no commercial loads)
• Wareham - Yard debris / light metal at Municipal Maintenance: 2nd and 4th Saturday each month, 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (per FAQ)
• Wellesley - Grass and leaves to compost area; brush/bushes/Christmas trees to wood waste (size limits). Stumps prohibited.
• Worcester - Yard waste drop-off: Free Additional yard waste sites: 300 Chandler Street and 299 Clark Street with more limited hours.

All Massachusetts towns · Scrap metal