Maynard’s Trash & Recycling Program starts July 1. Here are important details to know.

Wednesday, July 1 marks the first trash and recycling collection day using the Town of Maynard’s new cart-based trash and recycling program. A majority of Maynard residents are registered and we’re ready to roll!

This article focuses on two very different things. First, a reminder and instructions on how to enroll for residents who have not registered yet. Following that, we share important rollout details, so that residents who are already subscribed to Maynard’s Trash, Recycling and Yard Waste Curbside Collection Program know what to expect.

A Reminder to Register:

June 17 is the last day to register for residents who want to receive their trash carts and stickers in time for the July 1 collection. To register, go to the Town’s website at https://www.townofmaynard-ma.gov, then click on the “Trash & Recycling” button. The registration link will pop up and you can get started.

For residents more comfortable with paper registration forms, you can pick them up at the Maynard Public Library, the Council on Aging (COA) at 50 Brown Street, and the Department of Public Works (DPW) Office in the rear of Town Hall. Completed forms must be returned to any of those locations by 2:30 pm on June 17.

If you choose to use a private hauler to collect curbside trash, recycling and yard waste after July 1, there is no need for you to register for the Town’s program. Your private hauler must be registered through the Town’s Board of Health and must offer both trash and recycling curbside collection. Or you can pair your private trash service with one of Maynard’s two plans, so that you can retain recycling and yard waste collection services.

What to Expect During the Rollout:

Note: Weekly Rollout Updateswill appear on the Town’s Solid Waste & Recycling website at https://townofmaynard-ma.gov/252/Solid-Waste-Recycling. New updates will be posted every Monday evening after 8 p.m.

June 22-26: E.L. Harvey-issued trash carts and annual registration stickers will be delivered to each household. Current recycling carts will be used.

June 27-28: The last two days of our current trash and recycling program. Residents should still place trash bags curbside, with $2 or $4 stickers attached. This is a recycling week, so be sure to place your recyclables curbside as well.

July 1: The first day of the new trash and recycling program collection! Both trash and recycling will be collected that day. Space your carts three (3) feet apart and also three (3) feet away from solid objects such as homes, cars, fences, retaining walls, mailboxes, trees, etc. to avoid risk of damage. For safety reasons, carts must not be placed under overhead wires. This spacing provides enough room for the robotic arms to maneuver.

Orange overflow bags (for occasional use) will be available for purchase at Market Basket and the Assabet Market Co-op beginning July 1. They are sold in packs of five (5) bags for $40.

These 33-gallon bags are handy for times when your garbage does not fit into your trash cart. Place them next to your trash cart, with three (3) foot spacing. Do not place them on top of your trash cart. 

Wondering what to do with damaged or unused carts from the previous program? The Water Department is purchasing kits that will enable residents to turn old carts into rain barrels. A great solution given the drought. Stay tuned for those details. If reusing your cart isn’t a viable option, the DPW will hold an old cart recycling days in late summer. 

Do you have some $2 and $4 stickers left over? Hold onto them, because the Town will be holding swap days, where you can trade a reasonable amount of remaining stickers for an equivalent amount of orange overflow bags. The swap will be handled by the Department of Public Works in late summer. Retail stores or the Town Treasurer’s Office do not handle these swaps.

While this column covered most of the rollout details, we are still finalizing a few more with E.L. Harvey, so please continue to check the Weekly Rollout Update section of the Solid Waste and Recycling web page, which was noted earlier in this article. Be sure to scroll to the bottom of the page for answers to your most common questions.