Disposal & donation guidelines

Greater Boston

Donate and recycle first — dispose last. Where to take furniture, appliances, mattresses, electronics, metal, and renovation debris across Boston and the inner ring.

💡

Massachusetts has strict waste bans — mattresses, textiles, C&D, electronics, and appliances are banned from the trash and must be recycled (mattresses have been mandatory since Nov 2022). And Boston requires a per-truck Commercial Hauler Permit. These are general guidelines about where to go and what they take, not exact prices — private stations don't post rates, so call ahead. Divert to donation and scrap first.

02 By what you're hauling
Where each load goes
🔩

Appliances & metal

Fridges, washers, AC, scrap — pays cash
  • Second Street Iron & Metal
    285 Second St, Everett · all metals, appliances, cash on the spot.
    CashRemove freon first
  • Scrap It, Inc.
    431 Second St, Everett (also Chelsea) · open to the public, no appointment · ferrous/non-ferrous.
    Cash
  • North Shore Scrap Metal
    Gloucester · openly takes fridges, stoves, washers, dryers, water heaters, AC units, cash.
    Cash
🧱

Mixed junk & C&D

Full cleanouts & renovation debris — private stations
  • ReSource Roxbury
    101 Gerard St, Boston · the most independent-hauler-friendly site — takes loads from clean-out companies. C&D (wood, metal, drywall, brick/concrete). No plain household trash or asbestos.
    Hauler-friendly
  • James G. Grant Co.
    28 Wolcott St, Hyde Park · C&D for contractors & homeowners (sheetrock, wood, roofing, windows). No mattresses/TVs/tires.
  • Wood Waste of Boston
    85-87 Boston St, Everett · wood + building materials recycler.
  • WIN Waste Millbury
    Open to the public for C&D (~45 min west).
  • Not for casual loads
    Municipal transfer stations are residents-only or need a city commercial-hauler permit + insurance.
    Residents only
🛌

Mattresses

MANDATORY recycling in MA — can't be trashed
  • Recycle them
    Since Nov 2022, mattresses & box springs are banned from disposal statewide. Route to a recycler — UTEC (Lowell) or Green Mattress Recycling — or donate clean ones (New Life, Household Goods). Only mattresses soiled with mold/fluids/pests are exempt.
    Landfill-banned
📺

Electronics / e-waste

CRTs & electronics banned from the trash
  • Recyclers & take-back
    Boston-area e-waste recyclers (eWaste Solutions, Best Buy drop-off) and the City's periodic Zero Waste Days for residents. TVs/monitors (leaded CRT glass) are banned from MA disposal.
⚠️

Freon, tires & hazmat

Special handling
  • Freon appliances
    Refrigerant must be recovered before disposal (EPA §608); scrap yards need proof. MA also bans "white goods" from the trash — working units can go free via Mass Save pickup.
  • Tires
    Banned from MA landfills whole — take to a tire recycler; they're shredded first.
03 Rules worth knowing
Staying legal in Boston
🪪

Boston Commercial Hauler Permit — per truck

Boston requires a Commercial Hauler Permit for every vehicle hauling trash, recycling, compost, or construction materials in the city — roughly $300 per truck, renewed every two years, through Public Works. Hauling without it is finable.

🚫

MassDEP waste bans are strict

Banned from disposal: mattresses & textiles (since Nov 2022), C&D (wood, metal, drywall, brick, concrete, asphalt), electronics/CRTs, whole tires, white goods, lead-acid batteries, and commercial food waste (≥½ ton/week). These must be recycled, not landfilled.

❄️

Recover refrigerant before scrapping a fridge or AC

EPA Section 608 requires refrigerant recovery before disposal, and the final disposer keeps a signed record. Venting is illegal.

🚚

Bigger trucks need a USDOT number

Intrastate commercial vehicles at or above ~10,001 lbs need a USDOT number and permanent markings; smaller pickups/box trucks fall below but still need commercial registration.

For informational purposes only. These are general guidelines to help you plan a run — not an official disposal guide or legal advice. Hours, accepted materials, fees, and rules change often and vary by load, so always confirm directly with the facility and follow all applicable local, state, and federal regulations.