Automated trash collection is coming to York. Here’s what to know.
A Casella Waste Systems truck dumps trash into its hopper in Auburn on July 14. York is one of the next Maine towns switching to automated trash pickup. (Russ Dillingham/Staff Photographer)
York will be transitioning to an automated trash system starting in October, which will come with several changes to collection schedules and procedures.
Casella, a trash hauling company contracted by the town, will provide trash and recycling bins to all residents in October. The bins will be 65 gallons by default, but residents can notify Public Works by Aug. 21 if they’d like a different size.
For now, loose bags on the curb will still be collected until the automation takes over. Here’s everything else residents should know about the new system.
How is automation different? What’s the benefit?
Automation simply means that instead of a Casella employee manually picking up your garbage and putting it into the truck, there will be an arm to lift the bin and dump it in. That will make collection more efficient, Town Manager Peter Joseph said.
That change is why new trash and recycling barrels are necessary: They’ll have different handles for the truck to latch onto.
The switch was baked into York and Casella’s 2024 contract, which said that by 2026, there would be a few changes, including a shift to automation.
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Joseph said that came with a handful of benefits. One is the cost. It would have cost $4 million more to hire another company the town was considering in 2024 that had no plans to automate the trash-collection process, Joseph said.
He didn’t know if that expense was because of the company’s manual system — which requires at least two people per truck — but an automated system only requires one person.
“Obviously if you’re paying two people per vehicle as opposed to one, that could have been a factor (in the cost),” Joseph said.
The switch also reflects a trend within the waste collection industry to emphasize safety.
“The biggest workers’ comp category is usually from trash collection because of the number of injuries,” he said. “It’s a hard job, demanding, but you’re also riding on the back of a truck in all weather conditions.”
With automation, no one will be riding on the back or getting out regularly on busy streets.
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When will Casella pick up my trash?
There are a few schedule changes taking effect in October. To find out which day of the week your trash will be collected, refer to the Public Works Department’s solid waste and recycling program guide. Recycling will be collected on the same days as trash.
Several streets, such as Sunapee Road and Sandpiper Run, will lose curbside pickup. Instead, residents will have to take their trash to the end of the street for automated collection.
Trash won’t be collected on Thanksgiving and Christmas. It’ll instead be picked up on the following Saturdays.
What about bulk items and other waste?
The first and third Saturday of each month will be “Universal Waste Days,” when some low-risk hazardous waste and electronics — like car batteries, televisions or fluorescent lightbulbs — can be brought to the town’s transfer facility at 65 Witchtrot Road.
Other days at the facility are reserved for additional garbage: Oct. 24 for hazardous waste, and April 24, 2027, for an annual tire drop.
Bulk items like furniture will still not be picked up curbside and haven’t been since July. Public Works suggests consulting with a large-item pickup service.
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Can I compost?
Yes, but it won’t be collected by Casella. There will still be three options for composting.
For $16 per month, composting company Mr. Fox will provide residential food waste pickup and an 8-gallon bucket. It gets collected every other Tuesday.
Residents can also take their food waste to the Witchtrot Transfer Station or compost at home. Nonprofit York Ready for Climate Action suggests finding a good spot in your yard and layering food waste to create rich new soil.
For more information about the switch, and to find a more in-depth list of accepted items, visit the Public Works Department’s waste and recycling page.
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Tagged: garbage collection, municipal waste
Isabelle Oss is a community reporter covering Kittery, Berwick, North Berwick, South Berwick, York and Ogunquit. Born and raised in Colorado, she moved to Maine in April 2026. Isabelle holds a master’s. More by Isabelle Oss
