City Enters New Refuse Contract with Capitol Waste Services

Residents will not see a disruption in service

New Bedford, MA – The City of New Bedford has entered a new contract for curbside refuse collection and disposal with Capitol Waste Services, Inc., a privately owned company headquartered in Boston. Service will begin on Monday, July 3rd. Capitol replaces E. L. Harvey Waste & Recycling, which has been the City’s trash hauler since 2021.

Capitol Waste Services is a fully insured and bonded waste management and disposal service company whose municipal and commercial customers are concentrated throughout eastern Massachusetts including Boston. Incorporated in July 2002, the company has a reputation as a safe, dependable, responsive, and cost-efficient provider of customized disposal and waste collection services. The company employs union laborers who are trained to provide efficient, professional service.

In 2021, Waste Connections Inc., a publicly traded corporation based in New York, acquired New Bedford-based ABC Disposal, Inc. which served New Bedford for two decades. Waste Connections has provided trash handling services in the City of New Bedford under the E. L. Harvey name since then.

Although not required by state procurement law, the City solicited proposals for the new refuse contract and hired a consultant specializing in municipal waste management to guide the City’s evaluation of the proposals. The evaluation team concluded that Capitol Waste offered the highest value services. The total cost of the three-year contract is $26.4 million.

“It is important that our residents have a reliable, first-rate trash hauling service,” said Mayor Jon Mitchell. “We are pleased that our residents will now have the exceptional services of Capitol Waste Services, Inc. – a company with a strong reputation for customer service and professionalism.”

“It’s our duty to ensure that New Bedford residents receive curbside collection services in a timely, efficient, and courteous manner,” said the Director of the Department of Facilities and Fleet Management, Jennifer Vieira. “Capitol Waste Services stood out based on their reputation of excellent customer service, their favorable references, and impressive readiness to mobilize. We welcome them to our City and look forward to establishing a productive working relationship.”

“We would like to thank Mayor Mitchell for the opportunity to serve the City of New Bedford. Capitol Waste Services has been in business for the last 21 years, servicing communities across the state, while building a reputation of high quality and efficient service,” said Capitol Waste Services owner, Joseph Ricupero. “We can assure the Mayor, the City Council, and the City’s residents that you will receive the service standards that you expect for your tax dollars.  We will see everyone on Monday, July 3rd.”

To facilitate the transition of the City’s recycling center from E.L. Harvey’s management to the City’s, the recycling center, located at 1103 Shawmut Avenue, will be closed starting on Friday, June 30th, and will reopen on Wednesday, July 5th.
Capitol Waste Services, Inc.’s number is: (866) 569-1718.

Capitol Waste Services Inc. currently has about 180 employees and intends to hire former employees of Waste Connections/ E.L. Harvey.