Commercial Compost Collection

More and more businesses are realizing that composting is cost effective and earth-friendly. Control your disposal costs by removing the heavy stuff from the trash. By participating, your business will help preserve landfill space and reduce climate change by avoiding methane emissions from organic decay in landfills. The compostable materials are turned into nutrient rich soil that helps grow fresh food.

The City received a MassDEP grant in 2006 to work Save That Stuff, to offer food waste recycling services to Cambridge businesses at a price that is typically the same or less than trash disposal costs. See the brochure or training poster.  Participants include universities, supermarkets, hotels, cafeterias (hospitals & assisted living homes), restaurants, bars, florists, and coffee shops. For more info on this project see the Final Report, AttachmentsBiocycle Article, Interim Report and Presentation.

Composting is easy—it rarely poses a space problem and it can save businesses money. Any business that generates compostable material can participate. Your hauler can provide secure, leak-proof covered carts, multilingual posters and training. Pickup service is generally available six days per week. The hauler can work with you to develop a pickup schedule that minimizes the amount of time the organic materials are stored at your location.

Compost:

  • Food scraps: kitchen trimmings, plate scrapings, coffee grounds and filters, tea bags, meat, bones, fish dairy products & baked goods
  • Food soiled paper: paper cups and paper plates, placemats, milk cartons, waxed cardboard boxes and saw dust
  • Plants: yard trimmings and floral clippings

No glass, no plastic, no styrofoam, no metal, no liquids, no grease, and no other items that cannot biodegrade.

Support the Cambridge businesses, institutions and schools that are composting!
(A-Z, continually updated)

  1. 1369 Coffeehouse
  2. Abt Associates
  3. Agassiz Baldwin Community
  4. Atwoods
  5. Basta Pasta Trattoria
  6. Blue Room
  7. BoLoco
  8. Boston Tea Stop
  9. Bukowski's Tavern
  10. Cambridge Brewing Company
  11. Cambridge Common
  12. Cambridge Hospital
  13. Cellars Wine
  14. Center for Effective Philanthropy
  15. Central Square Florist
  16. Charles Hotel
  17. Charlie's Kitchen
  18. Chez Henri
  19. Christopher's
  20. Church - Hope Fellowship
  21. Clover Fast Food
  22. Craigie on Main
  23. Crema Cafe
  24. Crimson Galleria
  25. Dunkin Donuts (JFK St)
  26. EF Education First
  27. Fishmonger
  28. Formaggio Kitchen
  29. Four Burgers
  30. Friendly Toast
  31. Genzyme
  32. Grendel's Den
  33. Harding House
  34. Harvard University
  35. Harvest Co-op Market
  36. Hong Kong Restaurant
  37. Hungry Mother Restaurant
  38. International School of Boston
  39. Irving House at Harvard
  40. Jose's Mexican Restaurant
  41. Lesley University
  42. Life Alive
  43. Lincoln Institute of Land Policy
  44. Live Nation
  45. MIT
  46. Museum of Science
  47. Oleana Restaurant
  48. Ole Mexican Grill
  49. Pfizer
  50. Portugalia Restaurant
  51. Redline
  52. Rendevous in Central Square
  53. School - CRLS 9th Grade Campus
  54. School - Graham & Parks
  55. School - King Open
  56. School - Shady Hill
  57. Schlumberger Tech Corp
  58. Season to Taste Catering
  59. Shaw's Market (Sidney St)
  60. Sheraton Commander
  61. Shire
  62. Sofra Bakery
  63. Spaulding Hospital Cambridge (Youville)
  64. Stonehearth Pizza
  65. Union of Concerned Scientists
  66. Veggie Planet
  67. West Side Lounge
  68. Whole Foods (Fresh Pond)
  69. Whole Foods (Prospect St)
  70. Whole Foods (River St)
  71. Za Pizza and Salad
  72. Zing Pizza

How can we help you? I'd like...

Dept of Public Works

147 Hampshire St
Cambridge MA 02139

Phone:617.349.4800
TDD:617.349.4805

Hours of Service

Monday: 8:30am-8pm
Tuesday-Thursday: 8:30am-5pm
Friday: 8:30am-12pm

Recycling Center Hours
Tuesday & Thursday: 4:00pm-7:30pm
Saturday: 9:00am-4:00pm

Ms. Randi Mail
Director of Recycling
617.349.4866
rmail@cambridgema.gov

 

Cambridge Mobile Apps

Cambridge iReport Promo  
Keeping you connected wherever you are.  Learn more about Mobile Cambridge 

 

FAQ's

Have a question?
Find the answer in our extensive
Frequently Asked Questions