Every fall the same question comes up in Pittsfield: the leaves are down, so where do they go? The short answer is that the city sends yard waste to the transfer station on Hubbard Avenue, loose, not bagged. Here's how that works and what your other options are.
The rules below come from the City of Pittsfield's website as of October 2026. Hours and fees change, so check the city's Transfer Station page before you load the truck.
What the city takes, and where
Pittsfield residents, with proof of residency, can bring grass clippings, leaves, brush, and branches and limbs under 4 feet long to the Casella Transfer Station at 500 Hubbard Ave.
Two rules catch people out. Bags aren't allowed for yard waste, so the leaves have to go in loose: a tarp or an open truck bed works. And access fees are charged, so look up the current fee before you go.
Why the curb isn't the answer
Pittsfield's curbside carts are for trash and recycling, and anything left outside or on top of a cart isn't picked up. A leaf pile at the curb just sits there. In the Berkshires it usually ends up wet, matted and frozen into the first snowbank.
Can you burn them?
No. Massachusetts prohibits burning leaves statewide (310 CMR 7.07). The state's open-burning season, January 15 to May 1 in communities that allow it, covers brush, cane, driftwood and forestry debris, with a permit from the local fire department. Leaves and grass aren't on the list.
Options that actually work
Depending on how many trees you have and how much time you've got:
- Mulch-mow light layers. A mower can chop a thin layer of dry leaves into the lawn. A thick, wet layer smothers the grass, so this only works early, before the big drop.
- Compost them. Shredded leaves break down into good compost and bed cover.
- Make the trip. Tarp them, load them loose, bring proof of residency, and check the fee first.
- Hire it out. A fall cleanup clears the lawn, beds and fence lines for you.
Timing in the Berkshires
Most Pittsfield yards are ready for cleanup from mid-October into November, once the bulk of the leaves are down. What matters most is getting them off the lawn before the first snow: leaves left under the snow all winter mat down and can leave dead patches in the spring.
We wrote up when to schedule a fall cleanup in more detail, including when tree-heavy yards need two passes.
“Cleaned the leaves when i first moved in from a 3 year span of no maintenance 100% turn around on looks!!”
Get the leaves handled before the snow
Tell us the address and we'll quote the cleanup, usually within one business day.