The dump, decoded.
No curbside pickup means the Transfer Station is a Duxbury institution. Stickers, blue bags, sorting rules, and the social contract of Mayflower Street, all in one place.
Duxbury Town Hall · photo K. Zirkel / CC BY-SAWhy the dump is a big deal here
Duxbury has no town-wide curbside trash pickup. That single fact makes the Transfer Station and Recycling Center on Mayflower Street a weekly ritual for most households and, not coincidentally, one of the town's main social venues. You will catch up with neighbors over the recycling bins. This guide covers the system so your first visit goes smoothly.
The sticker
Every residential vehicle using the facility needs a current Transfer Station sticker affixed to the windshield, and yes, that includes trips where you are only recycling. The standard fee for a car, pickup, or van is $135 per year, with the 2026 sticker season running April 1, 2026 through March 31, 2027; stickers are sold online through the Town. Stickers are not transferable between vehicles. Two situations get special handling: summer renters who are not homeowners can arrange a $75-per-month temporary pass through the Treasurer's Office, while homeowners who are only in town seasonally pay the standard fee.
The blue bag system
Duxbury runs on save-as-you-throw: anything going into the trash pit must be fully contained in an official Duxbury-specific blue bag, which you buy at local stores. Nothing loose goes in. Seniors can buy smaller bags for $1.25 each at the Senior Center. The logic is simple: you pay by the bag, so recycling more costs you less, and the Town says careful recycling is the best way to keep sticker prices where they are.
Recycling: mandatory, and sorted
Recycling is required, and Duxbury uses multi-stream sorting, meaning materials go into designated areas rather than one big bin. Clean paper, cardboard, bottles, and rigid containers may not go in the trash; food-soiled items, plastic bags, and liquids may not go in the recycling. Bulky items (furniture, carpeting, appliances, tires, construction debris) carry separate per-item fees. A firm no list includes hazardous materials, asphalt, bricks, cement, and treated timbers; the Town runs periodic hazardous-waste collection events instead.
Hours and holidays
Open Wednesday through Sunday; closed every Monday and Tuesday, plus July 4th, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's Day, and Easter. Town materials have listed daytime hours in the 8-to-4 range with recent postings showing 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM, so check the Town's page before an early or late run.
Etiquette, learned the easy way
Follow the staff's directions (they can revoke permits, and more importantly they are helpful), sort before you arrive, and do not treat the recycling area as a guessing game. And leave time to chat. The dump run works best when you stop rushing it.
Sources & verification
Drawn from the Town of Duxbury's Recycling & Transfer Station pages and its published rules, regulations, and fee schedule. Fees, hours, and rules change; the Town is the controlling authority. Spot an error? Tell us. Last verified: July 21, 2026.