Recycling

Recycling Instructions

Here are instructions for recycling the following items: Paper, Containers, Yard Waste, Christmas Trees, White Goods & CRTs, Mercury Devices, Propane Tanks, Rechargeable Batteries, Paint, Motor Oil, and Hazardous Waste. 

Paper Items

Instructions

The following are acceptable for recycling:

  1. Newspapers or inserts
  2. Corrugated cardboard
  3. Magazines, phone books, junk mail, paper bags
  4. Manila envelopes & folders, NCR & fax paper 
  5. Paperboard such as cereal, shoe boxes, etc.
  6. White or colored office paper, envelopes with or without windows

Instruction: 

  1. Place paper items in a separate bin or in a paper bag.
  2. Flatten corrugated cardboard and cut down to 3 ft by 3 ft. Place neatly next to the recycling bin.
  3. You do not need to remove the staples and paper clips from the paper items.
  4. Do not include plastic bags, soiled paper, carbon/waxed paper, trash, wax-coated cups, ice-cream cartons, or take-out food containers.

Containers

Instructions

The following are acceptable for recycling:

  1. Rinsed glass bottles or jars
  2. Aluminum, tin or steel cans and lids
  3. All plastic containers with recycling logos labeled 1 through 7
  4. Emptied medicine bottles. 

Instruction:

  1. May flatten items.
  2. Place all items together in a recycling bin.
  3. Do not include plastic bags, broken or other glass such as light bulbs, window or auto glass, dishes, glasses, Pyrex.
  4. Do not include paint or aerosol cans or other metal items, plastic items without recycling logos, motor oil or chemical containers.
  5. Please contact Chelsea Police Station at 617-466-4855 if you would like to discard your unwanted medicine.

Yard Waste

Instructions

The following are acceptable for recycling:

  1. Leaves and grass 
  2. Other easily raked yard materials

Instruction:

  1. Place items in paper yard bags or loose in barrels.
  2. Do not include branches, trash, and plastic bags.
  3. To learn when your yard waste will be collected, please see yard waste curbside collection dates.
  4. You can also drop off yard waste at Chelsea City Yard at 380 Beacham Street. Only yard waste In paper bags will be accepted. 
  5. Chelsea City Yard  hours: Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m., Saturday 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Christmas Tree

Instructions

The following are acceptable for recycling:

  1. DPW will pick up curbside on regularly scheduled trash day. 
  2. Last week of December through January.
Instruction:

Do not include plastic bags, decorations, and Christmas lights and wires.

White Goods

Instructions

The following are acceptable for recycling:

  1. Large metal appliances 
  2. Air conditioners    
  3. Refrigerators and freezers 
  4. Washers, dryers 
  5. Ovens and stoves 
  6. Hot water heaters 
  7. Televisions and cathode-ray tube (CRT)  
  8. Computer monitors 
  9. Dishwashers 
  10. Auto parts are not accepted.

Instruction:

  1. Purchase a sticker for the above item at City Hall (Room 213).
  2. Sticker for white goods is $25.00 each; sticker for computer monitors or television is $45.00.
  3. Place your sticker on each item to be collected.
  4. Place your item with the sticker on the sidewalk off of your property before 7:00 a.m. on your trash day.

Mercury Devices

Instructions
The following are acceptable for recycling:

  1. Mercury thermometers (exchange program), or other mercury devices
  2. Thermostats
  3. Button batteries
  4. Fluorescent bulbs (special collection dates)

Instruction:

  1. Thermostats and button batteries may be brought to City Hall, Room 100 for disposal only.
  2. Thermometers will be exchanged for a free digital thermometer.
  3. Special collection at Chelsea City Yard 380 Beacham St. will be announced.
  4. Bring any fluorescent bulbs as well as other mercury items.
  5. Do not bring broken items to City Hall. Please call us if you have any questions 617-466-4200.

Propane Tanks

Instructions
Propane Tanks are acceptable for recycling.

  1. Propane Tanks that need to be retrofitted.
  2. New NFPA regulations require that all propane tanks must have new safety equipment. 
  3. The City of Chelsea does not currently have a propane tank collection, these items can be brought to various locations for disposal: Home Depot
    • Middlesex Gases & Technologies, 292 2nd St., Everett, MA 02149. Phone: 617-387-5050
    • Ameri Gas Inc., 215 Boston St. Topsfield, MA 01983. Phone: 800-339-2353

Rechargeable Batteries

Instructions
Rechargeable batteries or regular batteries are acceptable for recycling as long as they have a recycling seal on them.
  1. Bring items to City Hall room 310 during City Hall hours.
  2. Automobile batteries are not accepted.
  3. Batteries without the recycling seal are not accepted.

Paint Swap Shed

Instructions
The swap shed offers used paints, oil-based paints, paint thinners, stain, and varnish products for free.

  1. The collection is on the first Saturday of every month from April through October.
  2. Bring these items to the City Yard at 380 Beacham Street. (Hours: 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.)
  3. Keep these items in the original container tightly sealed.
  4. Label contents if the original label is illegible.
  5. Pack cans and bottles in carton or box.
  6. Do not include latex paint (latex can be dried with kitty litter or speedy dry, and placed in regular trash)
  7. Do not mix these paint items.
  8. Do not pack these paint items in trash bags.
  9. Do not include creosote, wood preservatives or bleach.
  10. Do not leave these items in unmarked or illegible containers.
  11. No solidified or pre-frozen paint or stain.

Motor Oil

Instructions
  1. The collection of motion oil is on the first Saturday of every month from April through October.
  2. You may bring used motion oil to City Yard at 380 Beacham Street. Hours: 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
  3. Antifreeze is not accepted.

Hazardous Waste

Instructions
  1. The city of Chelsea offers an annual Household Hazardous Waste Day collection. 
  2. If you miss the annual collection date, please bring your items to: 
    • Clean Harbors in Braintree, MA. Please call 781-849-1800 for information and to schedule a pickup.
    • Minuteman Facility in Lexington, MA. A fee for disposal may apply. Please contact the Lexington Board of Health at 781-862-0500, Ext. 237 for more information.