Republic Strike Updates

Trash & Recycling Update – August 11, 2025

See below the latest announcement about trash, recycling, and yard waste service:

  • Republic Services is continuing with curbside trash and A week recycling service this week, August 11-15, 2025.
  • Yard Waste Pickup Update: Republic Services will continue to deliver curbside yard waste pickup for the remainder of the week. Please put your yard waste curbside on your scheduled pickup day.
  • Please continue to leave your bins on the curb if your scheduled pickup was missed this week.
  • Composting pickup continues as regularly scheduled. If you have not signed up, please consider doing so for free at Black Earth Compost.
  • Reminder: the Watertown Recycling Center remains closed due to the on-going strike.  

Emergency Drop-Off Site Updates:

  • The emergency trash, recycling, and yard waste drop-off site at 148 Waltham Street is open Monday-Friday, from 7:30am – 3:30pm for residents needing to drop-off any overflow trash, recycling, or yard waste. Please limit your drop-off to 3 bags of household trash, the equivalent amount of recycling that would fit in your bins, and a maximum of three bags of yard waste. Please prepare to show a license or utility bill to confirm Watertown residency.
  • For yard waste drop-off, please empty the contents of your bag(s) or barrel(s) into the designated dumpster, then dispose of the bag(s) separately.

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.

Please continue visit watertown-ma.gov/republicstrike for the latest information regarding the strike. The City will continue to post updates here as they become available.


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 August 11, 2025 FAQs below

Or download the August 11, 2025, FAQs as a PDF

Question
When did this strike begin?

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
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.

Also, please see the map of A week and B week pickup. August 4 - August 8 will be B week. August 11 - 15 will be A week.

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

Answer

The City of Watertown is operating an emergency trash and recycling drop-off site located at 148 Waltham Street. The site is open from Monday-Friday from 7:30am – 3:30pm. The site is closed on weekends.

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, and only 3 bags of yard waste. If you are utilizing the emergency center for yard waste, please do not throw the bags or barrels into the dumpster, and dump out any yard waste directly into the dedicated dumpster.

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
Has yard waste collection restarted? *

Answer

Republic Services is expected to continue delivering curbside yard waste pickup throughout the week of August 11, 2025. Please put your yard waste pickup out on your regularly scheduled pickup day.

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 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

Republic Services has been providing periodic commercial and City dumpster service throughout the strike. As these services are provided, the City will include that information in their updates.

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

Question
What if I have textile items I am trying to recycle?

Answer

Textile recycling is currently cancelled due to the closure of the Recycling Center while the strike is happening. However, you can learn how to schedule a free pickup with Helpsy.