City Of Keene Recycling/Transfer Station
Recycling Center in Keene, New Hampshire
About This Location
The City of Keene Recycling and Transfer Station, located off Route 12 at 55 Old Summit Road in Keene, NH, is the Elm City's full-service municipal solid-waste and recycling facility. Run by the City's Public Works Department, it accepts a wide range of materials from both Keene residents and, for most categories, visitors from surrounding towns—including standard recyclables (glass, cans, paper, cardboard, and #1/#2 plastics) at no charge, as well as household trash, electronics, tires, appliances, brush, yard trimmings, and construction debris for set fees. Payment is accepted by check or pre-purchased punch-card disposal tickets only—no cash, credit, or debit cards are accepted at the gate. The facility also hosts scheduled Household Hazardous Waste collection days in partnership with neighboring communities throughout the year.
What City Of Keene Recycling/Transfer Station Accepts
Related recycling guides: Electronics · Batteries · Tires · Appliances · Household Hazardous Waste · Mattresses · Yard Waste · Glass
What they do not accept
Recyclables must not be placed in plastic bags. Gas-powered equipment must have all fluids removed before drop-off. Keene residents must show valid vehicle registration for the free tire and CFL bulb programs.
Fees
- Household trash — 33-gallon or smaller bag (up to 10 bags) — $3.00 per bag
- Household trash — bag larger than 33 gallons (up to 10 bags) — $6.00 per bag
- Household trash — more than 10 bags or loose refuse (scale-weighed) — $186/ton ($0.093/lb), $30 minimum
- Mixed non-recyclable construction debris / furniture (scale-weighed) — $186/ton ($0.093/lb), no minimum
- Recyclable construction debris (clean wood, etc.) — $160/ton ($0.08/lb)
- Electronics / E-waste (microwaves, TVs, computers, etc.) — $0.45/lb
- Solar panels — $0.62/lb
- Appliances containing freon (refrigerators, AC units, dehumidifiers, etc.) — $15.00 each
- DIY mini-split units containing freon — $30.00 each
- Mattresses with innersprings — $25.00 each
- Box springs — $4.00 each
- Christmas trees — $2.00 each (lights/decorations must be removed)
- Brush — $0.065/lb ($130/ton)
- Fluorescent tube bulbs — $0.20/ft
- CFL bulbs (non-Keene residents) — $2.00 each
- Passenger car / light truck tires up to 17 inch (off rim) — $5.00 each (Keene residents: free up to 4/vehicle/year with valid registration)
- Passenger car / light truck tires up to 17 inch (on rim) — $10.00 each
- Truck tires 18–23 inch (off rim) — $12.00 each
- Truck tires 18–23 inch (on rim) — $20.00 each
- Tractor-trailer tires (off rim) — $35.00 each
- Tractor-trailer tires (on rim) — $45.00 each
- Farm tractor tires (off rim) — $100.00 each
- Loader / Construction / Skidder OTR tires (off rim) — $210.00 each
- Propane tanks (up to 20 lbs) — $2.00 each
- Disposal ticket booklet (20 tickets) — $60.00 (checks or money orders only; also available at Keene City Hall Revenue Collections)
- Scale minimum fee (for customers choosing scale over per-bag rate) — $30.00 minimum regardless of weight
Access & restrictions
Open to Keene residents and, for most materials, visitors from surrounding communities. Keene residents only for free passenger car tire disposal (up to 4 per registered vehicle per year) and the free CFL bulb program. · Payment by check or pre-purchased punch-card disposal tickets ONLY. No cash, credit, or debit cards accepted at the gate. Do not place recyclables in plastic bags.
Programs & events
- Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Collection Days — Scheduled collection events held at the HHW facility adjacent to the Recycling Center on Route 12 North. Open to Keene residents and participating neighboring towns (including Marlborough, Roxbury, Peterborough, Sharon, and others). Dates posted on the city website.
- Free Compost Program — Finished compost is available free to anyone who brings their own shovel.
- Free Leaf Drop-Off (Fall) — Bagged leaves and yard trimmings accepted at no charge year-round; city also runs a curbside leaf collection program in the fall.
Materials, fees and hours can change — call ahead to confirm before your visit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is recycling free at the Keene Transfer Station?
Yes. Standard recyclables—including glass food and beverage containers, steel and aluminum cans, aluminum foil, newspapers, mixed paper, corrugated cardboard, #1 and #2 plastics, scrap metal, yard trimmings, batteries, cell phones, and liquid cooking oil—are accepted at no charge. Only certain specialty items such as electronics, tires, appliances with freon, fluorescent bulbs, and brush carry a fee.
Can only Keene residents use the facility?
Most services are open to anyone, not just Keene residents. However, the free passenger-car tire disposal program (up to 4 tires per registered vehicle per year) and the free CFL bulb recycling program are restricted to Keene residents who present a valid Keene vehicle registration.
What payment methods are accepted?
Only checks and pre-purchased punch-card disposal tickets are accepted at the gate. Cash, credit cards, and debit cards are not accepted. Booklets of 20 disposal tickets can be purchased for $60 at the Recycling Center (check/money order only) or at Keene City Hall Revenue Collections (other forms of payment accepted there).
How much does it cost to drop off a bag of household trash?
Household trash is $3.00 per standard 33-gallon or smaller bag (up to 10 bags) or $6.00 per bag larger than 33 gallons (up to 10 bags). Loads of more than 10 bags or loose refuse are weighed and charged $186 per ton ($0.093/lb) with a $30 minimum. Customers with less than 340 pounds of waste will find the per-bag option more economical than using the truck scale.
When are Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) collection days held?
HHW collection events are held on scheduled dates throughout the year at the HHW facility located adjacent to the Recycling Center on Route 12 North. Current dates are posted on the City of Keene website at keenenh.gov. Hazardous waste is not accepted on regular operating days outside of these events.
Last verified: November 2026. Sources: source · source · source · source. Spotted something wrong? Suggest a correction.
Other Recycling Centers in Keene
Recycling Centers Near Keene
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Westmoreland Transfer StationWestmoreland, NH · 1.8 mi›
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Swanzey Recycling CenterWest Swanzey, NH · 7.1 mi›
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Chesterfield Recycling CenterWest Chesterfield, NH · 8.4 mi›
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Marlborough Recycling/Transfer CenterMarlborough, NH · 9.2 mi›
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Scrap ItMarlborough, NH · 9.8 mi›
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Rockingham/Westminster Recycling CenterWestminster, VT · 10 mi›