Automated Trash Collection Coming to Concord

The City of Concord is preparing to transition its curbside trash and recycling services from manual collection to an automated collection, launching a two-year pilot program for trial routes beginning this summer.

Starting the week of June 29, 2026, one collection route per day will begin automated collection, while the rest of the city will temporarily maintain manual collection until a full city-wide transition is implemented in July 2028. An interactive, searchable curbside trash collection route map is available on the City website, highlighting automated pilot program routes in yellow.

Casella, the City’s contractor for solid waste collection and recycling services, will deploy Automated Side Loading trucks and standardized carts required for automated collection. Residents who receive curbside trash collection will automatically receive one 95-gallon recycling cart and one 65-gallon trash cart. Carts will be delivered in June 2026, at no cost to households participating in the pilot program, and placed in the relative location of service. Multi-unit properties will receive a set of carts for each dwelling unit, up to a maximum of four sets (8 carts total), with the option for property owners to request fewer.

Residents can request to opt out of receiving any carts and not participate in curbside trash collection, and arrange for other trash disposal options or bring materials to the Concord Transfer Station.

Alternatively, residents can request different cart sizes based on eligibility and availability. Larger trash cart sizes are available to households with 5 or more people, and smaller trash and recycling cart sizes are available to seniors ages 65 and up and to residents requiring ADA or other accommodations.

Households in the pilot program may submit a request by March 31, 2026, to receive different cart sizes or to opt out of collection entirely. Call Concord General Services at 603-228-2737 or fill out a request form online on the City website. Requests will be reviewed and locked for the pilot routes by March 31. Requests received after the deadline will be placed on a waitlist, and carts will be exchanged based on available inventory.

Residents may begin using carts immediately upon delivery. Once automated collection begins, the standardized carts provided will be required for curbside collection, and all materials must be placed inside the carts for pickup. Personal containers, barrels, or any materials left outside of the carts, including loose trash bags, cardboard, or other items, will not be collected. Carts must be placed on a level surface with a 3’ perimeter of clearance from obstructions and other carts, with the lid opening facing the street and the handle facing the property. A container placement guide can be viewed on the City website.

Each cart will have a serial number assigned to a specific property address. All carts must remain with the property and should not be moved to another location. Residents are encouraged to label carts with their address using only vinyl stickers; no permanent marking with paint or markers.

Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT) trash bags will still be required for curbside trash collection and must be placed inside the trash cart. Concord launched the PAYT Program in 2009 to offset rising costs of solid waste collection and disposal, creating a unit-based pricing system that allows residents to control their solid waste disposal costs directly and encourages waste reduction. Maintaining the PAYT Program will keep solid waste volumes down and will curb overall costs.

Postcards will be mailed citywide in the next week to inform residents with curbside trash and recycling of these upcoming program changes. A second postcard will be issued in January to households participating in the pilot program to prepare them for the transition and alert them to the opportunity to opt out or request alternative cart sizing.

Concord’s transition to automated collection derives from the City’s new contract for solid waste collection and recycling services with Casella, effective since July 1, 2024. Evolving industry standards are phasing out manual collection from the solid waste industry, with automated collection improving worker safety, increasing efficiency, and reducing operational costs.

Visit www.concordnh.gov/automatedcollection for more information, including FAQs, pilot route maps, an automated collection resource guide, guidance on cart placement, and to request alternative cart sizing.