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Recycling & Waste Disposal

Show All Answers

1. Is there a comprehensive itemized disposal guideline?

Yes. Please see the Trash Disposal Guidelines (PDF).

2. Why should I recycle?

Recycling is responsible resource management. Recycling reduces pollution, saves energy and saves the City money! Recycling one ton of paper saves 17 trees. The items that we recycle become other useful products.

3. When is my trash and recycle collection day?

View the street listing (PDF) to determine your trash and recycling collection day.

4. What about holiday week collections?

When there is a holiday, collections will be delayed 1 day after holiday occurs e.g. if your usual day is Monday and that is a holiday, your trash/recycling day will be Tuesday. Friday’s pickup will be on Saturday that week. If the holiday falls on a Thursday (e.g. Thanksgiving), only Thursday and Friday’s collections would be affected. Please refer to the Holiday/ Leaf Calendar (PDF) for observed holidays.

5. When should I put out my recycling?

Residents should place their recycling at the curb no later than 7 am on their trash collection day.

6. Why didn’t the truck pick up my recycling?

• Check to make sure you put your recycling out on the correct day (PDF).
• Was it recyclable? See FAQ number 8.
• Were your recyclables in recycling bin and separate from your trash?
• Was your cardboard 3 feet by 3 feet or less, and tied or taped in bundles of 6 inches or less?
• Did you have any recyclables in plastic bags? No plastic bags of any kind allowed.

7. Whom do I call if my trash, recycling, or yard waste is not picked up?

Call Republic Services at 1-800-323-4285 or 781-289-0500

8. What can I recycle?

• Paper 
  • Catalogs
  • Clean paperboard such as cereal / pasta boxes / pizza boxes
  • Egg cartons
  • Flattened cardboard no larger than 3 feet by 3 feet
  • Hardcover books with dust covers removed
  • Junk mail
  • Magazines
  • Newspapers including inserts
  • Phone and other paperback books
• Commingled items 
  • Clean aluminum foil
  • Clean Glass bottles
  • Clean Metal cans
  • Plastic containers labeled number 1 to 7 [If there is no number (1 through 7), it is considered trash]

No plastic bags of any kind or polystyrene.

9. How do I put items out for recycling?

• All glass, plastic and metal containers, and clean aluminum foil can be commingled with newspapers, cereal boxes, junk mail, magazines, small cardboard items and placed in your recycling bin (or in another like container such as a laundry basket or barrel, 35 gallons, 40 pounds max, if your bin is full).
• Large Cardboard boxes should be flattened and tied in bundles or bundled with twine no larger than 3 feet by 3 feet by 6 inches thick.
• Do not place any items in plastic bags and do not commingle paper with containers.
• Place your recycling separate from your trash.
• No plastic bags of any kind or polystyrene.

Learn more about recycling receptacles.

10. Do I need to rinse out my bottles and cans?

Rinsing cans, bottles and jars helps to reduce odor and discourage pests from invading your bin. An easy way to do this is to place cans and bottles and plastics in your dishwasher or rinse them with the rinse water after you have finished your dishes. Labels and neck rings do not need to be removed.

11. Do I need to separate cans, bottles and plastic containers from each other?

All glass, plastic (numbered 1 through 7) and metal containers, and clean aluminum foil can be placed (commingled) in your recycling bin (or in another like container such as a laundry basket or a dedicated and marked barrel (32 gallon, 40 pounds max if your bin is full). No plastic bags of any kind or polystyrene.

12. What about polystyrene, cartons (milk, juice, juice boxes etc), pizza boxes and microwave food boxes?

• Polystyrene is not recyclable in our program and is considered trash. See the Trash Disposal Guidelines (PDF).
• All cartons such as milk, juice, broth, etc. are not in our recycling program and are considered trash.
• Your clean pizza boxes and microwavable food boxes shall be recycled with your paper.

13. Can I put out more than one recycling bin?

Yes! There is no limit to the amount of recycling you can put out properly.

14. Where can I get a recycling bin?

You may purchase a conventional barrel (35 gallons max) at any hardware store to co-mingle your glass, metal, plastic and  paper/cardboard. (See FAQ Number 9.)

15. Does the City collect yard waste?

Yes! Yard waste collections are scheduled for several weeks in the spring and fall and occur on your regular trash/recycling day. Yard waste should be placed loose in open trash barrels or in the large paper yard waste bags available at many stores. Not acceptable are plastic bags, boxes, tree stumps and large tree limbs.

Please see the Leaf/ Holiday Calendar (PDF) scheduled pickups.

16. Is there a place where I can drop off my yard waste?

The City owns a yard waste compost site at 16 Standley Street (Operated by REPUBLIC SERVICES) that is open from March 1, (unless late snow cover) to December 23, (or first significant snowfall - whichever comes first) on Monday through Saturday from 8 am to 3:30 pm, with winter hours January 6- February 24 Thursdays only, 9 am to 1 pm. Residents are allowed to bring leaves, grass clippings, branches up to 2 inches in diameter and Christmas trees. No food or plastic bags of any kind.

17. Does the City have a curbside pick up compost program?

Food Composting Page

18. How can I dispose of Christmas trees?

Residents who have City trash pick-up and want to recycle their Christmas trees are asked to bring them to compost facility when open. See question 15. You can also see the Leaf/Holiday Calendar (PDF) for your one-time yearly pickup.

19. Is there a curbside Food Compost program?

https://www.beverlyma.gov/212/Composting

20. Where can I recycle books, CDs, DVDs and VHS tapes?

There are several options for recycling these items. One local option is at Best Buy. There are also other options available through online search such as Recyclopedia

21. How can I stop junk mail?

A service called PaperKarma® can help.

22. How can I shred confidential documents?

REPUBLIC offers confidential shredding for our municipal individual residents for a fee of $50 per location. This includes up to 3 1-foot by 3-foot boxes of material. You must be a resident of a City or Town that REPUBLIC is the hauling contractor. All shredding is done on site by their mobile shredding truck. The pick up can be scheduled by calling their office at 978-536-2500.

This rate is only for residential and not for businesses who require shredding services. Commercial accounts can contact us at the same number for a commercial quote.

Northshore Recycled Fibers (PDF) provides free document shredding for all Beverly residents.

23. Is there an electronics collection?

The electronics collection hosted by Beverly's Waste Reduction Committee has been cancelled. Please check the trash/ recycling website homepage for future dates and other events. 

24. Is there a hazardous waste collection?

The Health Department has scheduled the event for April 22, 2022 at Beverly High School.  Call the Health Department with Hazardous Waste questions, at 978-921-8591. 

25. How do I dispose of items containing mercury?

Mercury is an element that can be harmful to human health and the environment if not disposed of properly. Mercury won't harm you or the environment as long as it stays inside the product and is handled properly when you are finished with it.

Mercury can be found in a variety of household products like thermometers, thermostats, button-cell batteries and fluorescent lamps.

Please handle products containing mercury very carefully and properly:

1. Never throw glass thermometers, old thermostats, button-cell batteries or fluorescent lamps in the trash.

2. Store mercury-containing products in a safe place, such as an unbreakable plastic container, away from children and pets.

3. Please bring products containing mercury [i.e. thermometers, thermostats, compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs)], to a Hazardous Waste Collection Day (Click Here for a listing - Salem or Beverly only) OR:

• Fluorescent tubes: Lowe's in Danvers (978-646-9099), Batteries + Bulbs in Saugus (781-233-7587). ** NOTE: there is a charge to dispose of these items at Batteries Plus Bulbs, $0.75 / CFL bulb and $0.25 / linear foot of fluorescent tube (so $1.00 per 4ft tube and $2.00 per 8ft tube)
• Thermostats and thermometers: Bell Simons/Bell Pump in Beverly (978-922-1920)
• Button Batteries: Staples, Home Depot, Batteries + Bulbs, Bell Simons/Bell Pump, Salem Plumbing, Lowes

26. How do I dispose of waste oil (used motor oil)?

Waste oil is accepted weekdays at the municipal garage at 148 Park Street during regular work hours (7:30 am to 3:30 pm, Monday through Friday). Call first during the Spring/Summer months to check availability at 978-921-6053.

27. What can I do with all my plastic bags?

Plastic film bags from the grocery store, newspaper delivery, bread bags, and dry cleaning bags may be returned to most supermarkets.

28. Can I put out any size barrel for trash and recycling?

No. The guidelines are no larger than 32 gallons and may not weigh over 40 pounds when full for either trash or recycling containers.

29. Can I throw away my propane tank?

No. They may be returned to Aubuchon Hardware at 50 Enon Street (formally Dawson’s) for a $5 fee, or Cabot Fuels at 449 Cabot Street.

30. Is there a limit to the amount of large (“Bulk”) items I can throw away?

Yes. Republic (our trash company) will take one large (bulk) item per week with your regular trash. a “bulk item” is an item, not trash, construction debris, hazardous waste, etc. It is an item that will not fit in your 32 gallon trash barrel. For example: one headboard, or  one couch, or  one table, one chair, one microwave, etc. This does not include Appliances- Seasonal/ Scheduled Collections page

31. Where can I bring ink and toner cartridges to recycle?

There are several places that will accept ink and toner cartridges. Examples are:  Staples (North Beverly Plaza), Keller-Williams office at the Cummings Center or do a Google search

32. How do I dispose of pharmaceuticals?

Reducing access to unwanted medication is now a national public health and safety strategy. Many Americans are not aware that medicines in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse and abuse. Many studies show that almost half of youth who have misused prescription medications gained fist access from medicine cabinets of family of friends. There is a drop off box at the Beverly Police Station and Beverly Hospital.

For further information please contact the Beverly Health Department (90 Colon Street) at 978-921-8591. The Beverly Health Department also runs a Medication Disposal Day. For further details on this event please contact them.