Recycling & Trash Program

Trash

• Should be placed at the curb no later than 7 am on the morning collection day, the same as recycling pickup.
• All bags must be tied. (Do not fill large as more than 30 lbs)
• You must use the yellow 13-gallon (Small), 33-gallon (Large), or 40-gallon (New X-Large) town trash bags. 
• Bags can be purchased at the following locations:
  Try other locations if bags are out of stock.
  • Hannaford Supermarket - 333 Mass Avenue
  • Smokestack Roasters, LLC - 39 Mass Avenue
  • MAKI - 160 Mass Avenue
  • Honey Farms - 134 Leominster-Shirley Road
  • Hilltop Farms- 1 Main Street 
  • Lunenburg Golf- 451 Massachusetts Avenue
  • Baker's Whalom Variety- 423 Elective Avenue
• Small (13-gallon) -10/pkg for $17.00
• Large (33-gallon) - 5/pkg for $17.25
• X-Large (40 gallon) - 5/pkg for $26.50
• No Construction Material or scrap metal is allowed in Trash Bags - Arrange special pickup with G.W. Shaw & Son
• No Yard Waste - Arrange special pickup with G.W. Shaw & Son
• No additional fees apply
• Non-conforming bags will be left at the curbside and will be the responsibility of the resident.
• No Textiles or Mattresses - Items should be donated, or pickup with a private company should be planned

For more information, on Textiles, please scroll below for Lunenburg's latest offerings, and please visit: Textile Collection Organizations Operating in Massachusetts Or go to the Beyond the Bin to search for more options.

Pay-As-You-Throw Additional Information

Beginning Wednesday, October 15, 2025, the cost of Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT) bags will increase by about 5.5%.

This change is necessary because in recent years, the cost of trash disposal has been higher than the revenue generated from PAYT bag sales. Adjusting the bag prices will help close that gap. 

• Presentation: Proposed Rate Increase for Pay-As-You-Throw Trash Bags (PDF)

Why PAYT Matters in Lunenburg:

• Encourages reducing waste and increasing recycling 
• Keeps disposal costs fair; residents pay for what they use
• Supports Massachusetts’ waste reduction goals

Recycling

The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) announced a groundbreaking, statewide recycling education initiative to reduce contamination in recycling by asking residents to “do their part and recycle smart.”  The cornerstone of this initiative is their new website called RecycleSmart which features the “Smart Recycling Guide” called the Recyclopedia.  There is also a video showing the recycling sorting process inside an MRF (materials recovery facility) and answers to frequently asked questions about why and how to recycle smart.

• Lunenburg recycling is free-of-charge.
• Should be placed at the curb no later than 7am on the morning of collection day, the same as trash pickup.
• All accepted recycling material (listed below) can be placed in the same bin.
• The DPW no longer has the yellow recycle bins available or stickers for bins.
• Any bin can be used for Recyclables, does not need to be a town bin (as they are no longer available)
• “Beyond the Bin” is a website where you can search for places to recycle items that do not belong in your recycling bin, please visit Beyond the Bin

Additional Curbside Recycling

Additional Curbside Recycling Call G.W. Shaw & Son at 1-800-649-7419 to schedule an appointment for pickup. An additional fee will apply.

Additional Curbside Recycling Price List (PDF)

• Household appliances: $40-$100
• Furniture: $40-$100
• TVs, computers, other electronics
• Large metal items: $15 per barrel
• Tires (remove rims): $15-$300 based on tire quantity and size (see PDF)
• Sinks/Tubs/Toilets: $40- $100
• Carpet: $40- $100
• Upholstered Furniture: $40-$100
• Wood Furniture: $40-$100

Note: G.W. Shaw & Son may not be accepting any and all items listed above, pickup is at their discretion. Lunenburg requires haulers to provide recycling to all generators, residential and commercial, as bundled service and requires mandatory recycling by all generators.

What Can Go In Your Recycling Bin

• Mixed paper and clean cardboard (Cardboard cannot be larger than 2ft x 2ft).
• Clean Metal food and beverage cans.
• Clean Glass bottles and jars.
• Pizza Boxes. 
• Empty and clean Plastic bottles, jars, jugs, and tubs.
  • Please Do Not Put Recyclables In Any Plastic Bags
  • Accepted and Not Accepted Recycling Items/Guia de reciclaje- ENG & ESP

What Cannot Go Into Your Recycle Bin

All below items cannot go into your recycling bin, they belong in your yellow town trash bag. Unless items are donated (as suggested below) or recycled elsewhere (see Terracycle).

• Plastic retail bags - must be placed in the trash, however, all bags with a recycle symbol can be returned at Hannaford.
• Loose plastic wrappers (the plastic film around new items or fruit, etc.)
• Food wrappers/Plastic snack bags (Candy wrappers, microwaveable food bags, chip bags, Ziploc bags, etc.)
• Thin plastic containers/Packing plastic (Containers that hold fruit and vegetables, the plastic that protects new items, etc.)
• Dirty food containers - can only be recycled when cleaned and properly rinsed out.
• Food and liquids - please empty and rinse all bottles and cans.
• Take out containers (paper, cardboard, styrofoam, etc)
• Plastic straws, plastic cups, plastic cutlery (forks, spoons, knives, etc)
• Paper plates and paper cups (coffee cups, water cups, etc)
• Paper towels and napkins - paper towels can be composted.
• Shredded paper - has to be placed in the trash as this breaks machinery
• Styrofoam (coffee cups, bowls, plates, take-out containers, etc)
• Wax-coated juice/milk/broth/creamer containers - you can recycle plastic spouts but the container has to be put in the trash.
• Large bulky plastics (toys, plastic bins, broken chairs/tables, etc.) - donation of toys and furniture may be possible.
• Small electronics/cords - cords are accepted at Best Buy.
• “Tanglers” (hoses, wires, chains, strings of lights, etc.)
• Aerosol cans - Lunenburg does not accept but other towns do, possibly able to donate elsewhere.
• Clothing, linens, or any kind of textile material - donations are accepted in drop-off containers.

Also Remember: “Beyond the Bin” is a website where you can search for places to recycle items that do not belong in your recycling bin.

Contamination of the Recycling stream is a growing problem.

China which was the biggest importer of recyclable materials, recently stopped accepting "dirty" recycling, (mixed bundles of {contaminated} recyclable materials) causing a significant problem for the United States. Other countries have also taken this stance making the market even smaller. Now, where will all of it go and who will be willing to pay for it?

When recycling first started materials were less contaminated than what is collected today due to the separate streams of recyclables. The inconvenience of having to clean and separate things kept many from recycling. To create more participation, the single-stream recycling program was created. People could put all of the materials into one bin and it would be separated elsewhere and recycled for reuse. Since it was easier, recycling rates increased. Today most recycling programs in the United States are now single-stream.

Although recycling rates were higher, the level of contamination of each material increased due to the "single stream" collection. People are not properly cleaning food containers and small amounts of trash including plastic bags are commonly mixed into their recycling bins. When bits of glass or plastic are mixed with paper, the value is reduced as it adds additional cost to separate them. Having to clean or dispose of dirty plastic containers also adds cost to reusing them. At this time the low cost of petroleum has reduced the cost of making new plastic, therefore some of the incentive to recycle is lost. When plastic bags are introduced into the recycling stream they become caught in the separation machinery requiring a shutdown to remove them.

CHARM (Center for Hard to Recycle Materials)

All Lunenburg residents have access to additional fee-based recycling services. The nearest CHARM center is located at the Townsend Recycling Center in Townsend, MA on 33 Greenville Road. 

Hours of Operation: 
1st & 3rd Sat., 7am- 2pm
$10 day fee for non-residents and addition fees dependent on items 

Residents have access to a Swap Shop at Townsend Recycling Center. Swap Shop is open during Recycling Center hours.  Give or take: Reusable home goods and furnishings, books, exercise/sports equipment, furniture, housewares, toys, and other usable items in working condition.  For more information click here.

The following items are accepted at the CHARM center: 

• Automotive Batteries
• Bicycles
• Books
• Bulky Rigid Plastics (buckets - yard furniture - outdoor children’s toys)
• Button Batteries
• Cd's
• Cell Phones & Small Tablets
• Clothing
• Computers & Home Electronics
• Electric Bike Batteries
• Exercise Equipment
• Fashion Accessories (hats - belts - backpacks - handbags)
• Fire Extinguishers
• Footwear/Shoes
• Furniture
• Grill/Lawn Mower
• Home Medical Equipment
• Household Goods (dishware - lamps - decor)
• Large Appliances (aka White Goods)
• Linens (bedding - towels - curtains - table linens)
• Mattresses & Box Springs
• Mercury-Containing Products (thermostats - thermometers - CFL Light Bulbs)
• Pillows & Plush Toys
• Propane Tanks (1 lb)
• Propane Tanks (20 lb)
• Rechargeable Batteries
• Scrap Metal
• Small Appliances
• Sports Equipment
• String Lights
• Tires
• Toys
• TVs
• Windows
• Wood
• Yard Waste

Free Recycling Programs

TerraCycle offers free recycling programs funded by brands, manufacturers, and retailers around the world to help you collect and recycle your hard-to-recycle waste. Simply choose the programs you’d like to join; start collecting in your home, school, or office; download free shipping labels; and send us your waste to be recycled. You can even earn rewards for your school or favorite non-profit!

Hazardous Waste

Household Hazardous Waste/Los Productos Peligrosos para el Hogar

Can be disposed of at Devens Regional Household Hazardous Productions Collections Center. 
Visit Devens HHW Website for more Information and Materials and an updated schedule of when you can drop off items!

• Household Hazardous Waste/Los Productos Peligrosos para el Hogar (PDF)
• Devens Regional Household Hazardous Products Collection Center - ENG
• Centro Regional de Recolección de Productos Peligrosos para el Hogar de Devens - ESP

Please let Devens HHW know if you have a financial hardship to pay your HHW disposal fees. There may be donated funds available.
Por favor, informe a Devens HHW si tiene dificultades económicas para pagar las tarifas de eliminación de sus HHW. Es posible que haya fondos donados disponibles.

Latex paint is not "hazardous waste", simply let dry out in the container and dispose of it in the trash. Devens HHW accepts paint. 

If you experience problems with the collection of solid waste or recycling, please call G.W. Shaw & Son at 1-800-649-7419. For general information on Lunenburg's program please call the DPW at 978-582-4160.

Textiles 

Lunenburg DPW has textile recycling bins and accepts textiles. When dropping off textiles (clothes, towels, bedding, plush toys, purses, shoes, etc), please be sure items are clean and dry and placed in a plastic bag. 

For additional textile information please visit: Textile Collection Organizations Operating in Massachusetts Or go to the Beyond the Bin to search for more options. 

Lunenburg HS Student's Civics Class Project On Plastic Pollution

Emma Henry, a student at LPS, chose to do a project on recycling as part of her High School Civics Class.  Emma came to the conclusion that more education was needed on how people could recycle better and become part of the solution to reduce plastic pollution.  Please check out Emma's slideshow (PDF).