Start a garage, basement or shed cleanout by pulling out the regulated items: paint and chemicals, batteries, propane tanks, tires and appliances. Barnstable County's hazardous waste collection takes oil-based paint and lawn chemicals but not propane tanks or household batteries, and its 2026 season has ended.
Key points
- Barnstable County's household hazardous waste collection takes leftover paints and stains, lawn and garden chemicals, and similar products.
- It does not take propane tanks, gas cylinders, fire extinguishers, empty aerosol cans, or vehicle or household batteries.
- Some towns accept latex paint at collections, so check with your town first.
- The county page says the 2026 collection season has ended and the 2027 schedule will be posted in spring 2027.
- Massachusetts bans lead batteries and white goods (appliances) from disposal, and whole tires from landfills.
What should you pull out first?
Most of a garage is ordinary junk: boxes, broken furniture, old tools. A smaller part is regulated, and it is the part that causes delays. Sort it into its own pile before you book any hauling, so you know what a truck can take and what needs another route.
What does the county hazardous waste collection take?
| Fact | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Accepted | Leftover paints and stains, oil-based paints, paint thinners and removers, lawn and garden chemicals and similar household products. Some towns accept latex paint, so check with your town before bringing it.Source: Barnstable County, retrieved 2026-11-10 | Barnstable County retrieved 2026-11-10 |
| Not accepted | Vehicle or household batteries, gas cylinders, empty aerosol cans, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, whole fluorescent tubes or compact fluorescent bulbs, propane tanks and fire extinguishers.Source: Barnstable County, retrieved 2026-11-10 | Barnstable County retrieved 2026-11-10 |
| Season | The page says the 2026 collection season has ended, and the 2027 schedule and updated town brochures will be posted in spring 2027. Collections are on Saturdays at the Barnstable Transfer Station.Source: Barnstable County, retrieved 2026-11-10 | Barnstable County retrieved 2026-11-10 |
Because collections are seasonal, products you pull out in winter may have to wait. Store them safely in the meantime, keep them in their original containers, and call the county's number on that page if you are unsure. Our guide to where to take paint, chemicals and propane on Cape Cod goes further.
What does Massachusetts ban from disposal?
| Fact | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Lead batteries | Banned from disposal, incineration or transfer for disposal at a solid waste disposal facility.Source: MassDEP via Cornell LII, retrieved 2026-11-10 | MassDEP via Cornell LII retrieved 2026-11-10 |
| White goods | Banned from disposal, incineration or transfer for disposal at a solid waste disposal facility. This covers appliances.Source: MassDEP via Cornell LII, retrieved 2026-11-10 | MassDEP via Cornell LII retrieved 2026-11-10 |
| Tires | Whole tires are banned from disposal or transfer for disposal at landfills only. Tires must be shredded before landfill disposal.Source: MassDEP via Cornell LII, retrieved 2026-11-10 | MassDEP via Cornell LII retrieved 2026-11-10 |
| Mattresses | Banned from disposal, incineration or transfer for disposal at a solid waste disposal facility. Effective November 1, 2022.Source: MassDEP via Cornell LII, retrieved 2026-11-10 | MassDEP via Cornell LII retrieved 2026-11-10 |
| Metal and wood | Metal is banned from disposal facilities. Wood is banned from landfills. Both took effect July 1, 2006.Source: MassDEP via Cornell LII, retrieved 2026-11-10 | MassDEP via Cornell LII retrieved 2026-11-10 |
For the broader picture, see what Massachusetts bans from the trash, how to get rid of a mattress and disposing of TVs and appliances. Leaves and brush follow their own rules, covered in yard waste and brush rules on Cape Cod.
A sorting order that works
- Pull out anything regulated: paint, chemicals, batteries, propane, tires, appliances.
- Set aside anything usable for donation, and check the charity's rules first.
- Separate metal and wood where you can, since both are covered by disposal bans.
- What is left is general junk that a hauler can take in one trip.
- Look up the town's transfer station rules before you load your own vehicle. See Cape Cod transfer stations: who can use them.
If the pile is too big or too heavy, our junk removal and hauling service is built for that, and the junk removal overview explains how a job works. To ask about one, request a quote or call (508) 400-5788 any time, 24 hours a day. Ask what the crew cannot take before the day.
Common questions
Can I bring propane tanks to the Cape Cod hazardous waste collection?
No. Barnstable County's page lists propane tanks, gas cylinders and fire extinguishers as not accepted at collections.
Where can I get rid of leftover paint on Cape Cod?
Barnstable County's collections accept leftover paints and stains, and oil-based paints. Some towns accept latex paint, so check with your town. The page says the 2026 season has ended.
Can I put old tires or appliances in the trash in Massachusetts?
Appliances (white goods) are banned from disposal. Whole tires are banned from landfills. See the state's waste ban table for details.
Can I throw out an old car battery?
Lead batteries are banned from disposal in Massachusetts, and the county collection also lists vehicle batteries as not accepted. Ask a retailer or your transfer station where to take it.
Planning a move or a cleanout?
Sources
- Barnstable County, Household Hazardous Waste, retrieved 2026-11-10, https://www.capecod.gov/departments/cooperative-extension/programs/hazardous-waste-water-quality/household-hazardous-waste/
- MassDEP via Cornell LII, 310 CMR 19.017 - Waste Bans, retrieved 2026-11-10, https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/massachusetts/310-CMR-19-017
General information, not legal advice. Rules and fees change, so confirm details with the agency linked above.