Trash and Recycling Disruptions Continue in Watertown Amid Ongoing Strike

WATERTOWN – Trash and recycling pickups in Watertown remain disrupted more than a week after unionized drivers at Republic Services began a labor strike. The city’s contracted waste hauler has deployed replacement crews, but service continues to be inconsistent across several neighborhoods.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsGvsChHKyQ

Republic Services is currently operating with three trash trucks and two recycling trucks in Watertown. However, the substitute drivers are unfamiliar with local routes and are experiencing extended delays due to travel times and congestion at regional transfer stations. As a result, missed and delayed pickups have been reported throughout the week.

In response, the City has requested that Republic provide Saturday service to complete any remaining collections not completed by Friday. As of Thursday afternoon, no confirmation of Saturday operations has been announced.

For households affected by missed pickups, residents are instructed to leave their bins out through the end of the week. The city is tracking missed addresses and sharing that list with Republic Services daily.

An emergency drop-off site remains open at 148 Waltham Street, available to all residents with overflow household waste. The site will operate on Friday, July 11, from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Residents are asked to limit their drop-off to three bags of trash or the equivalent in recycling, matching the volume of a typical curbside collection.

Trash and recycling issues can be reported to the city’s 311 Service Center, through the Watertown MA mobile app, or via SeeClickFix. The city urges residents to use one of these methods if their pickup was missed on Thursday, July 10.

In addition to service coordination, the city has initiated the liquidated damages clause in its contract with Republic Services and is taking steps to recover costs incurred due to the disruption.

Regular curbside collection of yard waste remains suspended, and the Watertown Recycling Center remains closed until further notice. The City’s previously scheduled Swap Shop event has also been postponed.

Further updates and a continuously updated FAQ page are available at: 🔗 watertown-ma.gov/republicstrike