Solid Waste and Environmental Programming (SWEP) falls under the Highway Division of the Department of Public Works, providing manual and mechanized curbside pickup services for trash and recycling throughout the city. In addition, SWEP maintains the city’s Drop Off Facility, manages compliance and contracts for solid waste and recyclable materials, oversees the landfill monitoring, and coordinates regular events for the collection of household-generated hazardous waste. SWEP also helps maintain the cleanliness of Manchester neighborhoods through a bulky-item pickup service and blue bag litter collection program. SWEP assists over 25,000 properties in the city with collection services, educates property owners and residents on waste reduction initiatives, and disposes of approximately 40,000 tons of trash and 8,000 tons of recyclables every year. In addition, over 15,000 cubic yards of yard waste is composted locally, preserving existing landfill space and reducing the amount of methane gas produced during decomposition.
Municipal curbside collection of trash, recycling and yard waste is available to residents and businesses along public streets throughout Manchester. To view this year's Solid Waste Guide, please click here.
Collection is weekly in most areas, with more frequent pickups downtown. Curbside recycling is single-stream, requiring a blue recycling cart.
- Frequency: Weekly
- Requirements: Blue recycling cart and property must be eligible for municipal trash collection
- Recycling Rules
Collection is weekly in most areas, with increased frequency downtown and in high-density neighborhoods.
- Spring and Fall: Weekly colection starting mid-April and in October.
- Summer: Bi-weekly collection.
- Winter: Service stops except for Christmas tree collection in January.
- Yard Waste Rules
Textile Recycling
Textiles (clothing, shoes, bedding, and more) make up approximately 6% of our waste stream. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the average US resident throws away more than 85 pounds of textiles each year.
Manchester has partnered with HELPSY and WasteZero to provide residents with a free and easy way of recycling their textiles - curbside collection. Please click here to schedule your curbside collection of textiles.
Composting is a great alternative to throwing away food scraps. Food scraps and yard waste currently make up approximately 30 percent of our trash! Check out our brochure to learn how you can start composting through a vendor today!
*Please note that acceptable items vary by vendor.
Composting is also possible to do right in your backyard. The State of New Hampshire has different restrictions for backyard composting compared to vendor pick-up. Make sure to review both the New Hampshire and Manchester guidelines and ordinances before starting.
*Please note that meat and dairy items are prohibited from backyard composting in New Hampshire.
The City's transfer station provides an alternative disposal option for most wastes and recyclables generated in Manchester. Fees and restrictions apply to most materials.
Hazardous waste is not collected curbside. Residents may bring household products to one of the semi-annual collection events, held on the second Saturdays of May and October.