Norwood Trash, Recycling, Compost, & More

When & where to put your cart

Norwood’s WM service provides weekly trash collection in a 64-gallon cart. Put the cart at the street by 7:00 a.m. on collection day, with the wheels against the curb, and remove it the same day. Leave at least 3 feet of clearance from parked cars, mailboxes and other obstacles so the collection arm can reach it.

Preparing your trash

Bag household trash before putting it in the cart. Do not overfill it: the lid needs to close tightly. WM says overflow or material left outside the cart may incur an additional charge or may not be collected.

What can go in the trash cart?

Ordinary non-hazardous household trash belongs in the cart. WM specifically gives examples such as food waste, chip and snack bags, paper towels and plastic bags. Before throwing something away, check the recycling, textile, composting and special-disposal sections below—some materials have better or legally required disposal options.

What should stay out?

WM says construction waste, auto parts, tires, household hazardous waste (including paint, oil and household cleaners), medical waste and electronic waste do not belong in the curbside trash cart. Massachusetts also bans most textiles from disposal; use the textile-recycling section below for clean, dry clothing and fabric.

Missed pickup, extra cart or damaged cart

If a properly placed cart is missed, WM directs Norwood residents to contact the Town at 781-762-1413. The Town also handles requests for additional carts and cart replacement; WM provides an online process for cart repair.

WM’s Norwood service & collection instructions ↗

370 Winter Street · Saturdays, 8:00 a.m.–1:30 p.m. The entrance gate closes at 1:00 p.m.; vehicles must be inside before then. A Norwood residential vehicle sticker is required.

The facility accepts a broad range of resident material, including leaves and brush, single-stream recycling, food scraps, metals, rigid plastics, fluorescent bulbs and other mercury-containing items, textiles, books, white EPS/Styrofoam packaging, mattresses and box springs, Christmas trees and eligible bulk items. Finished compost is made available to residents when available.

Free food-scrap drop-off

Norwood DPW’s residential food-scrap program lists drop-off at the Public Works Yard, 1 Lyman Place (daily, 7 a.m.–7 p.m.) and the Winter Street facility, 370 Winter Street (Saturdays, 8 a.m.–1:30 p.m.; residential sticker required). Town materials have also promoted additional school-based drop-off locations; check the current Town page before making a special trip because locations can change.

Home composting

DPW sells discounted compost bins at 1 Lyman Place and provides a countertop scrap bucket with bin purchases. The Town currently lists an Earth Machine and a dual composting tumbler; check the Town page for current pricing and availability.

Curbside service

Black Earth Compost offers optional paid curbside food-scrap pickup in Norwood. Enter your address on its residential pickup page for current service availability and pricing.

Black Earth residential pickup ↗

Do not put loose needles or syringes in household trash or recycling. The Norwood Health Department operates a residential sharps-disposal program for Norwood residents. Approved sharps containers are available for purchase at the Health Department in Town Hall, and residents can return the filled containers there for proper medical-waste disposal.

Program details and fees can change, so contact the Norwood Health Department before making a special trip.

Do not bring old medications to the Norwood Police Station expecting a permanent drop box. The Police Department does not currently list an on-site medication-disposal bin. Residents should use a participating pharmacy or an announced drug take-back event for unused or expired medications.

Keep medications in a secure place until they can be properly disposed of, and follow the disposal site's instructions about accepted medicines and packaging.

Massachusetts bans most textiles from the trash. Clothing, shoes, bedding, towels, curtains and similar textiles should be donated or recycled — even if worn, torn or stained, as long as they are clean and dry. Textiles contaminated with mold, bodily fluids, insects, oil or hazardous substances may be disposed of as trash.

The Town provides textile drop boxes at Norwood public schools, the Savage Center and the Winter Street Recycling Facility. Items should be clean and dry. Ripped clothing and unmatched shoes are accepted. The former curbside “Pink Bags” textile service is no longer operating in Norwood.

The Winter Street facility accepts eligible bulky items and metals. Mattresses and box springs may be brought there Saturdays from 8:00 a.m.–1:30 p.m.; the Town currently limits these to three items per week, requires a residential sticker, and requires them to be dry, clean and free of infestation.

For items requiring curbside handling or when you are unsure whether an item is accepted, check the current Town instructions or call DPW at 781-762-1413 before putting it out.

DPW provides seasonal weekly curbside leaf-bag and brush collection, generally during the yard-waste season. Ordinary weekly collection does not require residents to call ahead. Use paper leaf bags and prepare brush according to current DPW rules; collection timing can be affected by weather, equipment, emergencies and heavy seasonal volume.

Residents may also bring leaves and brush to the Winter Street facility. Keep leaf-compost material free of trash, rocks, dirt and other contaminants, and keep brush separate.

The Town operates a Swap Shop at the Winter Street Recycling Facility so usable household items can be reused rather than discarded. Availability and accepted-item rules can change, so check current DPW notices before bringing an item specifically for the Swap Shop.