What We Take and What We Cannot
This is the full list, including paint, chemicals, motor oil, tires, car batteries and propane tanks, plus the items Massachusetts will not let anyone throw away.
Everything We Take
- Furniture
- Couches, sectionals, recliners, dressers, tables, chairs, bed frames, desks, bookcases, pianos, pool tables, patio furniture.
- Mattresses and box springs
- We take every size. Massachusetts banned these from disposal in November 2022, so they go to a mattress recycler and carry a separate fee. MassDEP's FAQ on the ban, which we read in October 2026, says a recycler won't take one that is wet, moldy or infested with bed bugs, so that one goes to disposal instead.
- Appliances
- Fridges, freezers, washers, dryers, dishwashers, stoves, microwaves, water heaters, AC units. Anything holding refrigerant goes to a recycler and carries a separate fee.
- Exercise equipment
- Treadmills, ellipticals, exercise bikes, rowers, home gym systems, squat racks, weight benches, dumbbells and plates. It comes apart where it sits and the steel goes to scrap.
- Electronics and TVs
- Flat screens, old CRTs, monitors, computers, printers, stereo gear. TVs and monitors go to an e-waste recycler, and the old tube (CRT) ones are disposal-banned in Massachusetts too.
- Household junk
- Boxes, bags, clothing, toys, books, kitchenware, decor and whatever else is stored in the closets.
- Yard waste
- Branches, brush, leaves, grass, old fencing, planters, soil and sod.
- Construction and renovation debris
- Drywall, lumber, tile, flooring, old carpet, cabinets, countertops, roofing, windows, doors.
- Heavy material
- Concrete, brick, gravel, stone and dirt. These are priced by weight rather than volume, because a small pile of concrete is a full load in practice.
- Outdoor structures
- Sheds, hot tubs, swing sets, play sets, trampolines, basketball hoops, above-ground pool frames and decks.
- Scrap metal
- We take anything metal, and it goes to Turner Inc in Lynn rather than the transfer station.
- Paint, chemicals and motor oil
- Yes, we take these. They need special handling, so they are quoted separately rather than folded into the load price. Tell us what you have when you call.
- Tires, car batteries and propane tanks
- We take all three, and they are quoted separately for the same reason. With a propane tank, tell us whether it is empty, because that decides the price.
Anything still usable goes for donation before the rest of the load reaches a facility, mostly to Big Blue Bargains in Swampscott, More Than Words in Boston and The Salvation Army.
The Three Things We Cannot Take
- Asbestos
- Anything you suspect contains asbestos needs a licensed abatement contractor. We cannot touch it at any price.
- Medical and biohazard waste
- Sharps, medical waste, and anything biohazardous.
- Anything leaking or still smoldering
- Drums of unknown liquid, leaking fuel tanks, or debris from a fire that has not fully cooled.
That is the whole list. If you are unsure about something, call or text 978-915-3399 and describe it rather than guessing. If we cannot take it, we will usually tell you who can.
Why Some Items Cost Extra
Most of a quote is simple: how much room your load takes up in the truck, adjusted for weight and how hard it is to get to. A handful of items sit outside that, and it is worth knowing which ones before you call, because it is the difference between a price that makes sense and a price that feels like a surprise.
Massachusetts bans certain things from ordinary disposal. Mattresses and box springs have been banned since November 2022. Old tube (CRT) TVs and monitors were banned before that, and so were appliances holding refrigerant. Those items cannot ride to the transfer station with everything else. They go to a specific recycler that charges per item, and that charge is what shows up on your quote. We pass it on at what the recycler bills us, with no markup. Flat-screen TVs and monitors are not on the state list, but they go to an e-waste recycler as well, and that recycler charges per screen.
We take paint, chemicals, motor oil, tires, car batteries and propane tanks, and those are a different case. They need special handling, so they are priced separately rather than folded into the load. The one thing that helps is telling us what you have when you call, because then the number we give you already includes it.
If it is one or two items and you are not in a hurry, your town may take them cheaper than we will: here is exactly how Salem's bulk pickup works, what it costs and what the city refuses. Outside Salem the answer changes every few miles, so here is what Marblehead, Beverly, Swampscott, Peabody, Danvers and Lynn each charge for a bulk item and how each one works. Everything else, from a single couch, a treadmill in the basement or a driveway of scrap metal to a barn's worth of accumulated stuff, is just volume. The pricing page has the numbers, starting at the $120 minimum.
What We Take: Questions We Get
Do you take paint, chemicals and motor oil?
Yes. They need special handling, so they are quoted separately rather than folded into the load price. Tell us roughly what you have when you call and we will give you the number before we come out.
Why do mattresses and TVs cost extra?
The fee comes from the recycler, and we pass it on without a markup. Massachusetts banned mattresses and box springs from disposal in November 2022, and old tube (CRT) TVs and monitors were already banned. Those cannot go to the transfer station with everything else. They have to go to a specific recycler, and that recycler charges per item. Flat-screen TVs and monitors are not on the state list, but they go to an e-waste recycler too, and it charges per screen the same way. Appliances holding refrigerant also go to a recycler that charges for them.
Is there anything you will not take?
There are three things: asbestos, medical and biohazard waste, and anything actively leaking or still smoldering. We take everything else, and some of it is quoted separately. If we cannot take it, we will usually tell you who can.
Do I need to sort any of it first?
No. We sort it on the way out. Anything still usable goes for donation, scrap metal goes to Turner Inc in Lynn, and the rest goes to the Republic transfer station in Peabody. You do not have to separate anything.
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Not Sure About Something?
Describe it or send a photo. We will tell you yes or no, and what it costs, before anyone comes out.
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