Junk Removal in Dover, NH

Dover residents have two paths for bulky items. (1) Curbside via the Bag-and-Tag program operated by Waste Management: attach a $10 Bulky Item Tag to non-metal items under 50 pounds that are too large to fit in a Dover trash bag — furniture, mattresses, box springs, couches, chairs, toilets, and rolled carpet cut to 3-foot lengths. Items must be at the curb by 7 AM on the regular collection day and cannot be placed out before 4 PM the night before. Bags and tags are sold at Hannaford, Shaw's, Market Basket, the City Clerk's Office, Public Works Facility, and the Recycling Center; 15-gallon bags are $2.34 each (20 lb max), 30-gallon bags are $3.91 each (35 lb max). Lithium-ion rechargeable batteries, oil-based paint, yard waste, brush, and construction debris are NOT accepted curbside and must go to the Recycling Center. (2) Self-haul to the Recycling Center at 265 Mast Road on Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday 8:30 AM-3:30 PM: televisions are $10 (up to 36 inches) or $20 (over 36 inches), microwaves are $10, and any Freon appliance is $20 — Freon items are NOT eligible for curbside bulky tags. Construction debris from a remodel is billed at $0.10/lb for residents ($5 minimum), not the $10 bulky tag rate. Mattresses ARE accepted in NH landfills (unlike Massachusetts), so a junk hauler can legally dispose of them, but Dover charges the curbside $10 bulky tag per mattress when self-haul is not an option. Note: starting July 1, 2027 Dover transitions from bag-and-tag to a toter (cart) collection system, which will change these rules.

Dover holds one Household Hazardous Waste collection event per year, historically on a Saturday in late August at the Dover Community Services Garage at 271 Mast Road from 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM. The most recently confirmed event was Saturday, August 23, 2025; the 2026 date had not been posted at dover.nh.gov as of May 2026 and should be phone-verified at (603) 516-6073 or (603) 516-6450. Dover residents only — businesses are not permitted; quantity limits are not posted publicly, so phone-verify before bringing large loads. Accepted items include pesticides, fungicides, wood preservatives, oil-based and lead-based paints, stains, finishes, brush cleaners, solvents, thinners, turpentine, gasoline, lighter fluid, driveway sealers, creosote, roofing tar, pool chemicals, photo chemicals, radiator flush, oven cleaners, rug cleaners, bathroom cleaners, furniture polish, mothballs, flea powder, and pest strips. The following are explicitly NOT accepted at the HHW event and must be taken to the Recycling Center at 265 Mast Road year-round during regular hours: latex paints, waste oil, antifreeze, propane tanks, batteries (alkaline, lithium-ion, and lead-acid), and fluorescent bulbs. Explosives and asbestos are not accepted anywhere in the city's system — call NH DES at (603) 271-2942 for guidance.