Christmas Tree Pickup and Disposal by Town, January 2027
Posted 2027 curbside dates for the towns that have them, last year's schedules for those that don't, and where to drop a tree when there's no pickup.
The tree is still weeks from going up, but the town calendars for January are already coming out. We checked trash and recycling pages and 2026-27 calendars as of November 9, 2026, for the towns north and west of Boston and a handful beyond. Some have posted dates for 2027. Many have not, and for those we show what happened last year, labeled clearly as last year.
The basic rules are nearly identical everywhere: real trees only, no lights, tinsel, ornaments, stands or plastic bags, and have it at the curb by early morning on your regular trash day.
Towns with posted January 2027 dates
These dates come from each town’s own 2026-27 calendar or guide.
| Town | Posted tree collection | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Andover | Jan 4-15, 2027, on your regular day | Natural trees, no decorations, one per household per week; over 7 ft, cut in half |
| Bedford | Mon Jan 11, 2027 | The Recycling Center also takes natural trees |
| Belmont | First two full weeks in January (Jan 4-14, 2027) | Trees only, no bags or stands |
| Beverly | Week of Jan 4, 2027, on trash day | No tinsel, plastic or skirting; also accepted at the Standley Street compost site |
| Billerica | Curbside Jan 4-8, 2027 | Or drop at 250 Boston Rd, Dec 26 to Jan 30; real trees and wreaths, no decorations, stands or bags |
| Burlington | One week starting Jan 11, 2027 | At the curb by 7 a.m. Monday; over 6 ft, cut in half |
| Lynn | Jan 4-8, 2027 | Calendar gives dates only; an earlier city flyer said no artificial trees, bags, decorations or stands |
| Medford | Weeks of Jan 3 and Jan 10, 2027 | Opposite your recycling week; Casella handles it |
| Milton | Jan 11-15, 2027 | Recycling Center open Sat Jan 9, 9 a.m. to noon |
| Salem | Week of Dec 28, 2026, on trash day | A Friday pickup may slide for New Year’s Day; no January 2027 weeks posted yet |
| Winthrop | Posted dates on the town page | Bare, unbagged tree out by 7 a.m.; questions 617-846-1341 x2609 |
| Woburn | Weeks of Jan 4-8 and Jan 18-22, 2027 | No bags or decorations; keep the tree clear of snow and ice |
Salem is the one to watch. Its calendar puts tree pickup in the week of December 28, so a tree that stays up through New Year’s will miss it.
Towns without posted 2027 dates: what happened last year
These cities and towns have not posted January 2027 dates as of November 9. Last year’s schedule is a good guide but not a promise.
- Malden: one designated week in January, on your trash day. The city’s 2026 page does not yet give the week; last year it was the week of Jan 12.
- Melrose: curbside during the first two weeks of January, or drop at the Recycling Center. Strip the tree and do not bag it. The 2027 weeks are not posted yet.
- Wakefield: last year, about two weeks of curbside pickup on recycling day. Call DPW at 781-246-6301 ext 4120 to confirm.
- Wilmington: last season DPW collected curbside Jan 5-16, 2026, on regular trash day; trees are mulched. Expect early January.
- Marblehead: last year’s pickup ran through Jan 16, 2026. Highway Dept 781-631-1750.
- North Reading: one Saturday curbside collection last year; watch the DPW news page.
- Arlington: one curbside tree week in January last season.
- Lowell: last season the city ran park drop-offs for about three weeks after Christmas.
- Weymouth: last season curbside ran Dec 29 to Jan 9, with a Hollis Street drop-off through Jan 16.
- Braintree: last season, two weeks in early January on regular trash day.
- Reading: one curbside week in January, plus the Compost Center on one January Saturday. 2027 dates not posted.
- Stoneham, Tewksbury, Natick: a January collection is expected (Stoneham: one collection, call DPW 781-438-0760; Tewksbury: one week, at the curb by 7 a.m. Monday per last year’s guide; Natick: first two full weeks of January). Dates are not posted.
- Somerville: curbside on your regular trash day through January, decorations off, no plastic bag. Trees are mulched. No specific dates posted.
Where there is no pickup
- Winchester: no town curbside pickup. Residents with a permit can drop a tree at the Transfer Station branch area; wreaths, garland and plastic bags are banned.
- Needham: no curbside; take it to the RTS tree pile, bare of decorations, wires and bags. Closed Dec 25 and Jan 1.
- Middleton: no curbside trash service and the transfer station page does not mention trees. Call 978-777-0407.
- Saugus: no curbside dates, but a tree can go out with the trash during the three weeks after the holiday, per the town FAQ. Confirm with Solid Waste at 781-231-4036.
- Tyngsborough: drop off in January at the DPW or the lot at 180 Lakeview Ave. No bags or decorations.
- Lynnfield: a local swim team has picked up trees as a fundraiser; call DPW. Or drop at the DPW yard.
- Westford: the Fire Fighters Association holds its annual tree collection around January 7-8; it is not a town service.
Towns that publish nothing
Everett, Peabody, Swampscott, Topsfield and Danvers had no tree program or date we could confirm. Danvers has historically held one Saturday pickup in January, but nothing is posted. Call before putting a tree out: Peabody Public Services, 978-536-0600; Topsfield, G. Mello at 978-352-8581; Everett, 311 or 617-394-2270.
A few tips for tree day
- Strip everything. Lights, tinsel, ornaments, stands and skirts all contaminate the mulch. Remove the hooks.
- No plastic bags, including the tree-removal bag.
- Cut very tall trees in half where towns ask (Andover over 7 ft, Burlington over 6 ft).
- Put it out early. Several towns say by 7 a.m.
- Check for snow and ice. Woburn asks you to keep the tree clear.
What we could not confirm
Dates are as posted by each town on the date we checked; calendars change and storms delay collection. We did not capture Winthrop’s exact dates; use its town page. Towns not listed were not checked. When in doubt, call your DPW.
Sources
- Town of Andover: Recycling and Trash Guideandoverma.gov
- City of Lynn: DPW calendarcdnsm5-hosted2.civiclive.com
- City of Woburn: Trash and recyclingwoburnma.gov
- City of Salem: 2026 curbside collection calendarsalemma.gov
- City of Medford: 2026-27 waste bookletresources.finalsite.net
- City of Malden: Christmas tree pickupcityofmalden.org
- City of Melrose: Solid waste and recyclingcityofmelrose.org
Details such as dates, hours and prices come from the sources above and can change. Check with the organizer before you go.
