Boston Dump Fees & Disposal Guide for Junk Removal Operators

Massachusetts has the highest disposal costs in the US at ~$123/ton avg. WTE facilities, C&D processors, and the MA waste ban list in 2026.

Operator contextUpdated Mar 2026

Use the guidance with your local numbers.

Resource pages explain the planning model, but local disposal rates, labor costs, truck setup, service area, and customer demand still decide the final operating choice.

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Costs

Typical disposal costs

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Facilities

Facilities and transfer stations

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Georgetown, MA (Essex County — ~30 miles north of Boston)

Mello Disposal Transfer Station — Georgetown, MA

$300/ton MSW (retail — negotiate commercial), $75/ton yard waste, mattresses $75 each, freon appliances $50 each The only Boston-area facility with a fully published fee schedule. $300/ton is the retail/walk-in rate — commercial haulers should negotiate volume pricing. Contractors are NOT allowed Friday through Sunday. Published surcharges: mattresses $75 each, freon appliances $50 each, washer/dryer $30 each, car tires $10 ($25 with rim). Does NOT accept TVs, computer monitors, fluorescent bulbs, paints, concrete, or brush. Mon–Thu 7:30AM–3PM; Fri–Sun 7:30AM–12PM (NO CONTRACTORS on Fri–Sun) $5 scale fee, no per-ton minimum MSW Yard waste (grass/leaves) Mattresses Tires

$300/ton MSW (retail — negotiate commercial), $75/ton yard waste, mattresses $75 each, freon appliances $50 eachGeorgetown, MA (Essex County — ~30 miles north of Boston)
Multiple locations across Greater Boston

Donation Centers — Habitat ReStore, Goodwill, Salvation Army

Free drop-off; tax-deductible receipts provided At $85–$140+/ton disposal costs, donation diversion is essential for profitability. Habitat for Humanity ReStore accepts furniture, appliances, and building materials. Goodwill and Salvation Army accept clothing, household goods, and small furniture. At $120/ton, diverting a 500-lb couch saves $30 in dump fees. Boston's college move-in/move-out season (late August/early September) generates enormous donation-quality volume — build donation routing into every job. Varies by location No minimum Furniture Working appliances Household goods Building materials (Habitat)

Free drop-off; tax-deductible receipts providedMultiple locations across Greater Boston
Rules

Restrictions and paperwork

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01

Restrictions

Massachusetts waste ban list prohibits 14+ material categories from disposal: yard waste, mattresses, textiles, metals, concrete, asphalt, brick, clean wood, cardboard, glass, lead-acid batteries, tires, white goods, and CRTs. Mixing banned items into MSW loads triggers penalties or rejection. City of Boston Commercial Hauler Permit ($300/truck, 2-year renewal) required for ALL commercial hauling vehicles operating in Boston. Apply at boston.gov/departments/public-works/commercial-hauler-permits. Municipal Board of Health Hauler Permit required under M.G.L. Chapter 111, Section 31A — you need a separate permit from EACH municipality where you collect waste. Storrow Drive: NO commercial vehicles. 10-foot bridge clearance — frequent truck strikes ('Storrowing'). Numerous Boston bridges have weight restrictions more restrictive than state limits.

Savings

Cost-saving playbook

Track dump fees per job and per facility in ScaleYourJunk. In Massachusetts at $85–$140+/ton — the highest disposal costs in the US — untracked dump fees will consume 15–20%+ of gross revenue. The platform logs every dump run so you can compare facility rates, monitor the waste ban compliance cost, and optimize your material-specific routing strategy.

01

Sorting

Massachusetts waste bans make sorting mandatory, not optional. Yard waste, mattresses, textiles, metals, concrete, asphalt, brick, clean wood, cardboard, glass, batteries, tires, and appliances are all banned from disposal. Each must route to a separate recycling or composting stream. Operators who build sorting into their workflow avoid penalties and reduce disposal tonnage by 30–50%. Route reusable furniture and appliances to Habitat for Humanity ReStore, Goodwill, and Salvation Army. At $85–$140+/ton disposal costs, diversion savings are the highest in the country. A single couch diverted from the waste stream saves $30+ in dump fees at Boston rates. Separate scrap metals from every load. Massachusetts bans metals from disposal, so recycling is legally required. But it is also profitable — sell copper, brass, and aluminum to local scrap yards for revenue on every job.

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FAQ

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Massachusetts has the highest MSW disposal costs in the US at approximately $122.63/ton average — roughly double the national average of $62.28/ton (EREF 2024). Boston-area tipping fees are estimated at $85–$140+/ton depending on facility type and volume. WTE facilities tend toward the lower end ($80–$94/ton for volume accounts based on historical municipal bid data), while transfer stations range higher ($108–$122/ton). Mello Disposal in Georgetown publishes $300/ton retail — commercial operators should negotiate significantly lower rates. No other Boston facility publishes commercial pricing.

Massachusetts bans 14+ material categories from disposal including yard waste (banned since 1990), mattresses, textiles, metals, concrete, asphalt, brick, clean wood, cardboard, glass, lead-acid batteries, tires, white goods (appliances), and CRT devices. These materials cannot go to landfills or WTE facilities — each must route to a separate recycling, composting, or donation stream. Mixing banned materials into MSW loads can trigger penalties or load rejection at the facility. This ban list makes aggressive on-truck sorting mandatory for profitability in the Boston market.

Yes — Boston has a multi-layered permit system. The City of Boston Commercial Hauler Permit costs $300 per truck and must be renewed every 2 years. Apply at boston.gov/departments/public-works. Additionally, you need a Municipal Board of Health Hauler Permit from each municipality where you collect waste — this is a separate permit for every town you operate in. Vehicles over 10,001 lbs GVWR need a USDOT number. There is no single statewide waste hauling license in Massachusetts — requirements vary by municipality.

WM MJ Connolly in Everett opens earliest at 4:30AM on weekdays (closing 3:30PM), no weekends. Republic Quincy is open Monday through Friday 8AM–5PM and Saturday 8AM–12PM. Mello Disposal in Georgetown is open Monday through Thursday 7:30AM–3PM and Friday through Sunday 7:30AM–12PM — but contractors are NOT allowed Friday through Sunday. WTE facilities (Reworld, WIN Waste) have varying commercial delivery hours — call to confirm. Most facilities close by 3:30–5PM on weekdays.

Boston's college move-in/move-out season from approximately August 25 to September 5 generates enormous waste volumes — Boston has one of the largest student populations in the US. This is both the highest-demand period for junk removal (premium pricing opportunity) and the most congested period at disposal facilities. Spring and fall cleanup seasons also see elevated volumes. Monday mornings are the busiest at all facilities due to weekend backlog. Mid-week mornings and early morning arrivals (4:30AM at WM Connolly) offer the shortest wait times.

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