Republic Strike Updates

Republic Services Strike morning update, July 10, 2025

The City remains aware of the delays and missed pickups that have occurred during Republic Services’ curbside pickup service on Monday-Wednesday this week. Delays have been caused by the replacement crews’ unfamiliarity with Watertown and travel times, among other factors. We have requested for Republic Services to provide Saturday service this week to complete any missed pickups that occur and are not returned to before Friday. We will announce updates regarding this request as the week progresses. Please continue to leave your bins out if your scheduled trash or recycling pickup was missed.

If you have overflow trash and recycling, the City continues to operate an emergency trash and recycling drop-off site at 148 Waltham Street on Thursday, July 10 and Friday, July 11, 2025, from 7:30am – 3:30pm each day. Please limit your household trash and recycling to 3-bags (or equivalent of) that would go into your bins.

If you have called the City this week to report a missed pickup, the City has documented that missed pickup and continues to share an updated list with Republic Services. Republic Services is returning to previously missed pickups at the end of each day.

Please stay up to date at watertown-ma.gov/republicstrike and read the regularly updating FAQs.

To receive email or SMS announcements about trash, recycling, and more, please create an account and sign up for Watertown News and Announcements.

Read the July 9, 2025 FAQs below

Or download the July 9, 2025 FAQs as a PDF

Watertown Trash and Recycling Curbside Pickup Update – July 9, 2025

Curbside pickup will continue tomorrow, Thursday, July 10, 2025, with regularly scheduled Thursday B week services in Watertown. Republic Services replacement crews were in Watertown collecting trash and recycling today, July 9, 2025.

The City remains aware of delays in service and missed pickups that have occurred this week. Please continue to leave your barrels out if your trash and/or recycling was missed. The City is regularly updating a list of missed pickups and sharing details with Republic Services, who return to previously missed pickups at the end of their routes each day. If you have reported a missed pickup this week to the 311 Service Center, on SeeClickFix, or the Watertown MA app, we will ensure Republic Services remains aware as missed pickups are returned to this week.

For those with scheduled pickup on Wednesday, July 9, 2025, whose trash or recycling was missed, please contact the City's 311 Service Center, or submit a request via SeeClickFix or the Watertown MA App. We greatly appreciate everyone’s patience and understanding as service continues here in Watertown.

The City continues to operate an emergency drop-off site located at 148 Waltham Street in Watertown where residents experiencing significant overflow and hardship can drop off limited amounts of trash and recycling. This location will be open Thursday, July 10, and Friday, July 11, 2025, from 7:30am – 3:30pm each day. Space is limited, so we request residents limit to disposing of 3 bags of household trash, and an equivalent of recycling. Bulk items are prohibited, and residents will be required to show a license or utility bill at the opening gate to verify Watertown residency.

The Recycling Center remains closed at this time and yard waste collection remains cancelled due to the on-going Republic Services labor strike.

We encourage everyone to visit watertown-ma.gov/republicstrike to receive the latest updates regarding this situation, and to read the regularly updated FAQs.

To receive email or SMS announcements about trash, recycling, and more, please create an account and sign up for Watertown News and Announcements.

Question
Why didn't my trash get picked up last week?

Answer

The City of Watertown contracts with Republic Services to pick up trash, recycling and yard waste. Republic also runs the facility where our recycling is dropped off for processing. Republic does not run the facility that accepts our trash. At this time, the unionized workers of Teamsters Local 25 that are employed by Republic are on strike. Republic had informed us through Monday that they expected that this would not occur, and therefore did not have replacement crews ready to work in Watertown. When their employees went on strike, they were not immediately ready to provide service to Watertown. 

Question
What is the strike about?

Answer

This is a private work action between a vendor and their employees. The City administration respects the rights of workers to bargain collectively but has no knowledge of the specific requests of the Teamsters or proposals from Republic. We do hope that the two sides can come to an amicable agreement in the immediate future. 

Question
Has curbside trash and recycling pickup started again? If so, what is the schedule?

Answer

Yes. Republic Services replacement crews started trash and recycling pickups on Monday, July 7, 2025, and they will continue to provide regularly scheduled service for the remainder of this week. We appreciate your patience as pickups are taking longer than usual.

The recycling schedule will continue as originally scheduled. B Week will be picked up during the week of July 7th. For residents whose recycling service was cancelled on the week of June 30 – July 5, 2025 (A Week), please hold your recycling until the week of July 14, 2025, or see a below FAQ about options to alleviate significant overflow.

Question
What is the A week and B week recycling pickup schedule? Where is each located?

Answer

See the calendar of the trash and recycling pickup schedule. Please beware yard waste is cancelled at this time.

Also, please see the map of A week and B week pickup. July 7-11 is B week. 

Question
I am a recycling A week pickup, and my recycling is significantly overflowing, what can I do?

Answer

The City is operating an emergency trash and recycling drop-off site at 148 Waltham Street in Watertown for those experience significant overflow and hardship. The site is open from 7:30am – 3:30pm on Thursday, July 10, and Friday, July 11, 2025.

Due to very limited space, residents will be limited to disposing of 3 bags of household trash and an equivalent in household recycling. No bulk items are allowed. We greatly appreciate your cooperation in making this option a success.

Question
When and how do I report a missed pickup?

Answer

If your trash and/or recycling were missed on Monday, July 7, Tuesday, July 8, or Wednesday, July 9, 2025, please continue to leave your barrels out.

If you have already reported a missed pickup this week to the 311 Service Center, on SeeClickFix, or the Watertown MA app, the City is updating a list of missed pickups and sharing details with Republic Services, who return to previously missed pickups at the end of their routes each day.

On your scheduled day for trash or recycling pickup, please leave barrels out all day into the evening and report a missed pickup only if the barrel has not been picked up by the following morning. Please contact the City's 311 Service Center for assistance. You can also input a missed pickup request via SeeClickFix or the Watertown MA App.

Question
Will Republic Services collect overflow trash and recycling?

Answer

Republic will only pick up trash and recycling that is inside of approved containers that can be picked up from their trucks. If you have bags of trash or excess recycling that does not fit in the truck, you can ask a neighbor who might have extra bin space if they can help out. If you still have overflow trash or recycling caused by the missed pick-ups, consider the drop-off option outlined below.

Question
What can I do if I have a significant overflow of trash and recycling?

Answer

The City of Watertown has developed a temporary solution for residents experiencing significant hardship due to their trash and recycling overflow from this strike. On Thursday, July 10, and Friday, July 11, 2025, the City of Watertown is again making available very limited dumpster space for bagged household trash and now household recycling as well to residents experiencing significant hardship due to trash overflow at 148 Waltham Street, the former Sterritt Lumber site. This location will be open from 7:30 am – 3:30 pm.

We request only residents experiencing this significant hardship to use this remedy, as space is very limited. Residents will be required to show a license or utility bill to the officer at the opening gate verifying their Watertown residency.

Residents will be limited to disposing a maximum of 3 bags of household trash, and only overflow recycling (equivalent to a maximum of 3 bags) due to the limitation of space. On average, Republic Services collects 32.5 tons of trash in a single day in Watertown, and the temporary dumpsters being provided by the City are only able to handle 5 tons each. We greatly appreciate your support and cooperation to make this option a success.

Please see below additional information regarding items you cannot throw away.

Question
What can I and what can I not throw away at this temporary, emergency site?

Answer

This location is only available for bagged household trash and household recycling that would go in your green recycling tote. There is no space of bulk items. The following items are prohibited and the officers at the gate will turn back cars seeking to dispose of any of the following:

  • Mattress
  • Box Spring
  • Televisions
  • Computer monitors
  • Sleeper Sofas
  • Tires
  • Car style batteries
  • Appliances
  • Appliances with freon (such as any sized refrigerator)
  • Air conditioners 
  • Propane tanks
  • Bulky furniture items

Please be aware that illegally dumping household furniture, trash, recycling, or yard waste at 148 Waltham Street, or anywhere in the City, is prohibited by law and will be strictly monitored and enforced by law enforcement. 

Question
Is yard waste collection expected to resume on July 7 as well?

Answer

No. Republic Services informed us that they are unable to complete their yard waste collection during the strike. We are working with them to identify alternate weeks for yard waste pickup and will share more information when it is available.

Question
Will the Recycling Center be open?

Answer

No. The Recycling Center, as well as the site that accepts our recycled materials delivered from the center, are operated by our contractor, Republic Services, and they have informed the City that they are unable to staff the center and manage pickups from the center at this time.

Question
What are ways I can alleviate my trash or recycling build up?

Answer

Given the limited space available at the temporary drop-off site, we do ask our residents to also consider other potential options for alleviating buildup of trash when possible. If you find your trash or recycling is only partially full, the City encourages all to “Be Neighborly” and possibly offer space to your neighbor for a bag in your bin prior to upcoming pick-up starting again on Monday, July 7, 2025.

Question
How can I sign up for composting?

Answer

You can sign up for Black Earth Compost collection and pick up your container at the Department of Public Works during regular business hours (7:30 AM to 3:30 PM Monday through Friday). Compost collection remains unaffected and will continue your scheduled trash day.

Question
Will commercial dumpster pickup resume the week of July 7, 2025?

Answer

The City of Watertown is continuing to communicate with Republic Services and will have an update about commercial dumpster pickup in the coming days. We appreciate your patience.

Question
When will the public bins around the City be emptied?

Answer

Republic Services collected all City bins on Monday, June 30, 2025. These bins will be serviced again on Monday, July 7, 2025, when service resumes.

Question
All this is costing the taxpayers extra money – who’s going to pay for it?

Answer

The City has informed Republic Services that, under their contract with the City, we expect Republic to reimburse us for costs to the city due to this work action.

Question
Is the Watertown Swap Shop still scheduled to be open on July 12, 2025?

Answer

The next open date for the Swap Shop on July 12, 2025 has been postponed and a replacement date will be announced at a future time. The Watertown Recycling Center is run and operated by Republic Services and remains closed during the strike.