A broken freezer, a broken chair, or an old ratty couch are examples of bulky waste that have become increasingly expensive to dispose of at the Transfer Station. An old dresser or armoire, an old mattress or bedframe, a computer monitor or TV, and old books and a bookshelf are a few examples of bulky items that can be repurposed or donated.

Climate change, and our increasing awareness that the planet’s capacity to absorb waste is finite, are forcing us to reconsider our current approach to trash. Any bulky item that is usable can find a good home with an organization that offers used goods to those who need them or they can be given away or sold through one of many social media or mobile app avenues. When those reusable goods find another home, there is less solid waste getting hauled away, less expenses that need to be covered by permit fees and taxes, and best of all there is reduced material getting burned up in the incinerator (polluting the atmosphere and creating toxic ash in the process).

Bulky Waste Charges

The purpose of charging for bulky waste is to help cover the cost of running the Transfer Station while taking an equitable approach to those costs. Several of our neighboring town such as Action, Arlington, Concord, Newton, Sudbury, Wayland, and Wellesley all charge for bulky waste disposal, too. And these municipalities have found that charging for bulky waste is not just about finances, the fees also encourage people to look for alternatives to trashing their large items.

The costs to haul away solid waste and recycling are increasing and the disposal of bulkier items is expensive. Currently, taxpayers are subsidizing the cost of disposing large bulky waste. The best way to reduce bulky waste and keep costs down for the user, and therefore the cost of running the Transfer Station, is to charge for it at the individual level.

Coming May 2021, the Transfer Station will start charging for certain large items, which are outlined on the Items and Fee Structure document below. These items may be paid for at the Transfer Station with one of the attendants using your credit or debit card, or in advance of your trip through our online payment website (coming soon).

• Items and Fee Structure (PDF)

What Constitutes a Bulky Item?

To help gauge what is considered a bulky item, if the item is larger than what will fit inside a tall kitchen (13 gal.) garbage bag, it is a bulky item subject to the fees as outlined.

Keep in mind that some items can be broken down into smaller pieces and placed with regular recycling, such as upholstered furniture (textiles, scrap metal, smaller wood scraps). Can the bulky item be broken down into smaller pieces for a decreased price? Check for a plastic recycling symbol on a large plastic item and if it has one then the piece can be broken down further and placed in the plastic recycling hopper. Of course, if the item still has life to it, donate or sell it rather than disposing of it. See below for organizations accepting donations - even old mattresses can be taken away and recycled.