What We Take
Needham residents who have a current resident sticker can bring the following items to the RTS for recycling or safe disposal. Some items are accepted at no additional cost, others have fees.
View a MAP of the RTS click here.
Main Drop-Off Area
Mixed Paper
No Charge
- Newspapers and inserts
- Magazines and catalogs
- Paperboard Boxes - cereal, pasta, toiletries, office supplies
(plastic windows are okay)
- Shredded paper
- Brochures and fliers (including glossy paper)
- File folders and manila envelopes
- Telephone books
- Soft cover books (hard covers go in trash)
- Spiral notebooks (remove cover if not cardboard)
- Wrapping paper (no metallic, foils or plastic. No ribbons or bows)
- Paper bags
- Junk mail and envelopes of all types (windows and labels are okay)
- Colored paper
It's okay to recycle paper with:
- Paper clips
- Staples and clasps
- Plastic windows
- Self-stick labels and tape
- Metal spirals
Please don't recycle:
- Candy wrappers
- Mailing envelopes with bubble wrap
- Tyvek mailing envelopes
- Paper towels, napkins, tissues
- Paper cups or plates
- Self-stick label backing
- Photographs
- Soiled paper
Corrugated Cardboard Boxes
No Charge
- Packaging tape is okay
- Must be flattened
- Do not recycle waxed cardboard
Glass, Metal & Plastic Household Product Containers
No Charge
- All plastic bottles and jars (milk, water, juice, salad dressing, laundry detergent, shampoo, dish soap, etc.).
- Plastics #1 to #7.
- Leave caps on.
- Plastic food tubs and lids (cottage cheese, margarine, yogurt, etc.)
- Plastic flower pots that have been cleaned out (flimsy plastic pots should be disposed of as trash)
- Glass bottles / jars (any color)
- Clean metal cans and lids (tin / steel / aluminum, empty aerosol)
- Aluminum (pie plates / trays / foil)
It's OK to:
- Leave lids, rings and labels on
Please don't recycle:
- Styrofoam (no cups, trays, or block)
- Plastic bags (take back to the grocery store)
- Milk and juice cartons; juice boxes; aseptic cartons
- Ceramics, porcelain, china, or opaque glass
- Pyrex
- Window glass
- Drinking glasses, bowls, mugs, pots and pans
- Light bulbs
- VCR tapes--these should go in with trash
Residual Materials
(Non-Recyclable Trash)
Large yellow bag $2.00
Small yellow bag $1.08
- Residents must place non-recyclable trash in yellow pay-as-you-throw trash bags. View information on where to purchase bags.
- Find a list of recyclable materials that are banned from disposal as trash in Massachusetts.
- Non-recyclable / reusable items too big to fit in a yellow bag and large quantities can be disposed of as bulky waste or clean-outs.
Payment is by check or credit card only. Please have your RTS sticker # ready.
Bulky Items
Price varies by item
Oversized non-metal items such as:
- Carpeting
- Broken furniture
- Mattresses
- Couch
- Table
- Shelving unit
- Metal items must be disposed
of in the scrap metal at no cost.
Clean-outs
$140 per ton
Minimum scale fee $25
- Large quantities and clean-outs
Re-Use-It Swap Shop click for details
Tuesday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday until 4 p.m. No drop-off after 3 p.m.
Closed on Paint Saturdays (third Saturday of the month, April to October)
View more information and guidelines
Reusable Household Items
Items you no longer want or need but someone else could use.
- View more detailed information and guidelines about acceptable items
- All items must be clean and in good working condition.
- Please bring items as early in the day as possible. Space is limited and many items that have not been claimed by the end of the day are disposed of
- The Re-use-it Swap Shop is staffed by Needham volunteers.
YARD WASTE PROCESSING AREA
Leaves, Grass Clippings & other rake-able items
- Please empty leaves and grass clippings out of paper or plastic bags.
- Empty paper bags may be composted with yard waste. Plastic bags must be disposed of as trash.
Brush, Branches & other woody materials
- Place in Brush and Branches area
Leaf Sundays
- Also open Sundays in November from 10:30 to 4 p.m. for leaves only.
- View dates.
Compost for use
- 30 - Gallon Barrel - Free
- 1 Cubic Yard - $4.00
Additional Materials Accepted for Recycling, Reuse, or Safe Disposal
East Area
Automotive Fluids
No Charge
- Motor Oil
- Must not be mixed with gasoline or other liquids
- Antifreeze
Books
No Charge
- Books in readable condition
- Commercially produced CDs and videos
- No encyclopedias, magazines
Bottles & Cans with deposit
No Charge
- Containers with a deposit only
- Carbonated beverages only (alcoholic and non-alcoholic)
- $.05 deposit will be refunded to Cans for Calcium food assistance charity through the Needham Community Council.
Clothing and other Textiles
No Charge
- In any condition
- Clothing, bedding, towels, curtains, and textiles in any condition.
- Belts, shoes, handbags, etc. are okay.
- Rips, stains and tears are OK.
- Dirty and moldy items should be disposed of as trash.
- View information on acceptable items
Food Waste - New Program
- Food waste collected for anaerobic digestion
- View acceptable items
Household Items
No charge
- Small household items in good working condition may be donated at the Swap Shop when they are open
Paint
On Paint collection days only
No charge
- On paint collection day only – third Saturday of the month April - October.
- Latex paint should be dried out and disposed of with regular household trash.
- Oil paint, stain, paint thinner, paint remover, mineral spirits
- View details.
North Area
Appliances
$15 each
- Refrigerator, AC, dehumidifier, water cooler
Automobile Batteries
No charge
- Car, motorcycle, scooter, or other lead-acid battery
Batteries -
Specialty and rechargeable only
No charge
- Rechargeable batteries - Power tools, tooth brush, computer, cordless phone, etc.
- Button batteries - watch, hearing aid, etc.
- No Alkaline batteries accepted. Alkaline batteries are not hazardous and should be disposed of with regular trash.
Cell Phones
No Charge
- Please delete any personal information
- Do not need to have chargers and cords
Computers
No Charge for desktop or tower component
$20 for all-in-one computers such as the iMac
$20 for monitors
- Leave computers and all other components (monitor, keyboard, etc.) in the electronics / monitor area.
- Remove all sensitive data or destroy the hard drive first
- The town is not responsible for data left on computer
- $20 fee for monitors and TV's
Electronic Devices
No charge
- Audio receivers, VCRs.
- Cables and cords.
- Speakers are mostly wood or plastic and should be disposed of with regular trash.
Fluorescent Tube Disposal
(all sizes and shapes)
(limit to 10 tubes per week)
From residents only.
- Straight, round and U shaped fluorescent lamps, and all types of compact fluorescent (CFLs) lamps
- Fluorescent lamps contain a small amount of mercury and should not be disposed of with regular household trash.
- State regulations prohibit the disposal as trash of any device containing mercury
- Incandescent, LED and halogen bulbs should be disposed of with regular trash
Mattress
$20 each
Medical Sharps
No charge
- State law bans the disposal of medical sharps in household trash.
- View information on how to properly store and prepare used sharps for safe disposal.
Mercury Containing Devices
No charge
- Thermometers, thermostats, mercury switches, elemental mercury, flowmeters and other mercury containing devices.
Monitors (CRTs)
$20 each
Printer, fax and copier cartridges
No charge
- Any type of printer, fax, or copier cartridge
Propane Tanks
$5 each
- 20 gallon and small camping propane tanks.
Scrap Metal
No charge
- Any metal item that is more than 75% metal
- Yard and garden equipment (gasoline and oil must be removed from lawn mowers, snow blowers, etc.)
- Electrical cords and cables (including xmas tree light strings)
- Metal desks, file cabinets, wire hangers, bikes, aluminum doors and window frames, other metal pieces
Small Printer
$2.50 each
TVs
$20 each
- TVs - Any Size
Tires
Automobile - $7.50
Truck - $15.00
- Automobile and truck tires
How to Dispose of Other Difficult to Manage Waste
Unwanted Medications
No charge
- Do not dispose of any unwanted medication in the toilet.
- Unwanted medications can safely be disposed of at the Needham Police Station
- For a safe, secure way to dispose of controlled substances and other medications, any medication can be taken to the Needham Police Department at any time, or during their annual drug take-back day held the last Saturday in September.
Household Hazardous Waste
No charge
- Needham sponsors one Household Hazardous Waste event each year in October that is open to all Needham residents at no charge.
- View details
Convenience Fee (illegal dumping)
$10.00
Questions
Still not sure what to do?
Call: 781-455-7568
Email: Submit Inquiry