Republic Strike Updates

Trash and Recycling Update - Tuesday, July 22, 2025

See below the latest announcement about trash and recycling service for the week of July 21, 2025:

  • Regularly scheduled curbside trash and B week recycling pickup service is happening in Watertown this week, with the potential for delays.
  • Please put your bins out at the curb on the day of your scheduled trash and recycling pickup this week. Keep them on the curb until pickup, and please wait to report a missed pickup 48 hours after your scheduled pickup day.
  • If your trash and/or recycling was picked up, please remember to remove your bins from the curb.
  • Composting pickup is continuing this week as regularly scheduled. If you have not signed up, please consider doing so for free at Black Earth Compost
  • Yard waste continues to be cancelled at this time. The Watertown Recycling Center also continues to be closed due to the strike.

Emergency Drop-Off Site:

  • The emergency trash and recycling drop-off site at 148 Waltham Street is open Monday-Friday this week from 7:30am – 3:30pm each day for residents needing to drop-off any overflow trash and recycling. Please limit your drop-off to 3 bags of household trash and/or the equivalent amount of recycling that would fit in your bins. Please prepare to show a license or utility bill to confirm Watertown residency.

Details regarding missed pickups:

  • Please wait to report a missed pickup for 48 hours due to anticipated delays.
  • Residents are encouraged to report a missed pickup just one time between scheduled pickups to the City’s 311 Service Center, on SeeClickFix or the Watertown MA App.
  • If you have a missed pickup from last week (7/14-7/18), please contact the Watertown 311 Service Center.

Details regarding this week’s announcements:

  • We are encouraging residents to follow the guidance outlined above this week. The City will continue to regularly update the Watertown-ma.gov/republicstrike webpage throughout the week.
  • Future announcements will be shared via email and social media should guidance or service levels change. Otherwise, updates will be made primarily at watertown-ma.gov/republicstrike.

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 21, 2025 FAQs below

Or download the July 21, 2025, FAQs as a PDF

Question
Why was trash and recycling pickup missed earlier this month? *

Answer

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. Starting on July 1, 2025, the unionized workers of Teamsters Local 25 that are employed by Republic went on strike. Republic had informed us through June 30, 2025 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. Services are back to running, as regularly scheduled, however with service delays.

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. 

See the interview City Manager George Proakis did with WCA-TV on July 15, 2025, discussing the strike.

Question
Has curbside trash and recycling pickup started again?

Answer

Yes. Republic Services has resumed regularly scheduled curbside trash and recycling pickups using replacement crews. Please be aware of the increased delays in service at this time. See below questions regarding pickup schedules for trash and recycling.

Question
Has yard waste collection restarted?

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

Answer

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 14-18 is A week. July 21 – 25 will be a B week.

Question
When and how do I report a missed pickup?

Answer

Please wait to report the missed pickup for 48 hours due to anticipated delays.

Residents are encouraged to report a missed pickup just one time between scheduled pickups to the 311 Service Center, on SeeClickFix or the Watertown MA App.

Your reported missed pickup will be added to a list and reported to Republic Services, who will return to the missed pickup as soon as resources are available to do so.

Question
What happens when I report my missed pickup?

Answer

When you report a missed pickup to the City’s 311 Service Center, on SeeClickFix, or the Watertown MA App, that address is documented by the City team and shared with the Republic Services team. If you have reported a missed pickup, your report will remain documented until we are able to confirm with Republic Services they were able to complete the pickup.  

Question
If crews are providing curbside service in Watertown, why is pickup delayed or being missed?

Answer

There are a few reasons. First, Republic Services is providing replacement crews to Watertown and all the communities affected by the labor strike. These crews have never been to Watertown and are new to the routes and schedule. Combine their unfamiliarity with the Watertown roads with the fact that crews are often coming from further away to get to Watertown and also need to coordinate drop-off, all of which are adding together to create the impacts residents are seeing.

To help alleviate significant impacts, the City is operating an emergency drop-off site for overflowing trash and recycling. Please find those details in a later FAQ.

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

Answer

The City of Watertown is operating an emergency trash and recycling drop-off site located at 148 Waltham Street this week, Monday July 21, through Friday, July 25 from 7:30am – 3:30pm each day.

We request only residents experiencing significant overflow to use this remedy, as space is very limited. Residents will be required to show a license or utility bill 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.

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
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 at 148 Waltham Street, outlined in an above question.

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 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.

Question
When are commercial dumpster pickups happening?

Answer

The City is in communication with Republic Services to provide dumpster pickup on the week of July 21, 2025. As the City has more information and specifics, this FAQ will be updated.

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
I have private trash and recycling pickup with Republic Services. When will that be picked up?

Answer

The City has no information regarding private pickups