Spring Update: Danvers Returning to Normal Trash Limits

The Danvers Department of Public Works would like to thank residents for their patience and cooperation throughout this unprecedented winter. Trash and recycling pickup was postponed often, and some households were missed. To accommodate these inconveniences, the DPW picked up trash over the allowed limits for several weeks.

With the threat of additional storms at a minimum, the DPW is returning to our normal trash limits.

Here is a reminder of the current policy: The trash limit for a single family home is three barrels or bags not to exceed 45 gallons and/or 50 pounds per barrel/bag. Multi-family homes (2-4 units) are allowed five barrels/bags. Trash barrels cannot be overfilled. Trash barrels or bags above the barrel limit will be left curbside. All items must be left curbside by 7 a.m. Pick up routes are subject to change, therefore we cannot guarantee pickup of items put out later.

Recycling is mandatory and unlimited. Trash will not be picked up if there is no recycling. A green sticker will be left explaining why your trash was not picked up. Please remember to leave your recycling bin curbside until your trash has been picked up. If you remove your recycling bin before trash pickup, the hauler will assume that you had no recycling and will not pick up your trash.

Please be mindful when you put out your trash and recycling. Please recycle all your paper, paperboard and cardboard. If you can rip it, you can recycle it! It can have staples, clips, be wire-bound, have windows, have wax coating, be shredded, etc. – non-paper items are removed during the recycling process. You can comingle, or put together in one container, all of your plastic, glass and metal containers. Trash does not belong in your recycling bins! Please use those extra trash barrels you no longer need for your recycling – you can pick up a free “Recycle” sticker from our Town offices. Recycling helps keep cost down. Trash disposal costs Danvers $74 per ton.

Residents should celebrate their success with the continued increase in recycling after three years of our weekly mandatory recycling and trash reduction program.

The changes in the Danvers’ recycling program have produced significant results since 2012. Recycling tonnage has increased by 28 percent over three years and recycling now accounts for 30 percent of our curbside tonnage. The curbside trash tonnage initially decreased by over 8 percent, avoiding almost $42,000 in disposal costs in the first year of program implementation. Danvers has experienced a slight increase in trash tonnage over the last 2 years (0.52 percent in year 2 and 1.89 year in year 3). However recycling tonnage continued to increase in years 2 and 3 by 3% annually.

Danvers encourages you to put forth your best effort and be conscious of what you throw out vs. what you recycle to keep our numbers going in the right direction. Thank you in advance for your cooperation.