by Valerie Hurley ·
Friday, May 1, 2026
In response to residents’ complaints that town trash bags are too hard to find, the town has purchased a vending machine to dispense the bags from the porch of Hildreth House. The cash-only machine will be installed under an awning and monitored by cameras.
“The bags should be available 24/7,” interim Town Administrator Dawn Dunbar told the Press this week. She said DPW Director Eric Ryder arranged the purchase of the $9,000 machine, which is scheduled to be usable by July. Until the town can establish the financial infrastructure needed to handle the credit and debit card fees, Dunbar said, the machine will take cash only.
The Select Board voted last month to raise the price of town trash bags, citing the need to cover the rising cost of trash disposal. Starting July 1, a package of five 15-gallon bags will rise from $5 to $10 while a package of five 30-gallon bags will cost $20 instead of $10. Also effective July 1 Transfer Station stickers will rise by $10 to $140, though residents over 60 will continue to pay $130.
Currently, trash bags are available in Harvard only at Westward Orchards, which is open seasonally from June through December. Harvard Power on Ayer Road stopped selling the bags several years ago, while the General Store stopped carrying them in February. Bags are available in Ayer at Toreku Tractor, Moore Lumber and Hardware, and Shop ’n Save; in Acton at Roche Bros.; in Littleton at Donelan’s; and at Market Basket in Maynard.