Can you recycle plastic bags in Worcester, MA?

Not in your recycling bin. Bags and film wrap around the sorting equipment at the facility City of Worcester uses, which is why they're excluded almost everywhere. Take clean, dry bags back to a grocery-store drop-off, or put them in your trash (yellow bag).

What do I do with batteries in Worcester, MA?

Batteries never go in any of your Worcester, MA carts — not the recycling bin, not the trash (yellow bag). They're household hazardous waste and a genuine fire risk in the truck. Tape the terminals and take them to a local e-waste or household-hazardous-waste drop-off.

Recycling rules in Worcester, MA

📍 City of Worcester · 2-cart program

Who collects your recycling in Worcester, MA

Worcester, MA collects its own residential waste: City of Worcester operates the carts directly rather than contracting the route to a private hauler. Households get two carts — a recycling bin for recyclables and a trash (yellow bag) for everything else. There is no curbside compost cart, so food scraps and food-soiled paper go in the trash (yellow bag).

That two-cart setup is the norm for most of the country — curbside food-scrap collection remains rare outside California and a handful of West Coast and Northeast cities.

The quick answer for Worcester, MA

Plastic bottles & jugs	♻️ Recycling bin	Empty; keep the cap on.
Aluminum & steel cans	♻️ Recycling bin	Give them a rinse.
Flattened cardboard	♻️ Recycling bin	Clean, dry sections only.
Glass bottles & jars	♻️ Recycling bin	Lids off.
Food scraps	🗑️ Trash (yellow bag)	No curbside compost cart here.
Greasy pizza box	🗑️ Trash (yellow bag)	No curbside compost cart here.
Plastic bags & film	🗑️ Trash (yellow bag)	Store drop-off is better.
Batteries	⚠️ Hazardous	Never curbside — tape the terminals.

This is the short list. The full A–Z of what is and isn't recyclable is on what can I recycle? — or scan the item and get the answer for Worcester, MA directly.

📷 Scan an item

Worcester, MA recycling FAQ

Can you recycle plastic bags in Worcester, MA?: Not in your recycling bin. Bags and film wrap around the sorting equipment at the facility City of Worcester uses, which is why they're excluded almost everywhere. Take clean, dry bags back to a grocery-store drop-off, or put them in your trash (yellow bag).
What do I do with batteries in Worcester, MA?: Batteries never go in any of your Worcester, MA carts — not the recycling bin, not the trash (yellow bag). They're household hazardous waste and a genuine fire risk in the truck. Tape the terminals and take them to a local e-waste or household-hazardous-waste drop-off.

Popular item guides

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Still not sure?

Rules vary by material and by hauler, and the sorting line is strict — one wrong item can contaminate a whole load. When in doubt, point your camera at the item for a verdict, or check the official City of Worcester guide.