What to Recycle
Email us at recycle@cambridgema.gov to sign up for our monthly eNewsletter. 
Important Tips:
- Place clean bottles, cans, paper and cardboard together in your bin.
- Empty and rinse containers. Please no liquids or food residue.
-
Flyer with Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Kreyol, and Ethiopian translations (legal size).
- Close the loop: Buy products made from post-consumer recycled materials.
YES
Containers
- Aerosol Cans (empty)
- Aluminum Cans, Trays & Foil
- Glass Bottles & Jars
- Metal Cans
- Milk Cartons & Juice Boxes
- NEW! Large Plastics (buckets, laundry baskets, toys)
- Stiff Plastic Containers
- NEW! Spiral Cans (potato chip, nut cans)
Papers
- Books (rip off hard covers)
- Cardboard Boxes (Flatten / nest when possible)
- NEW! Coffee Cups (empty, no Styrofoam)
- NEW! Frozen Food Boxes (if it rips)
- Paperboard (cereal boxes, paper towel rolls)
- Phone Books & Junk Mail (remove free samples)
- NEW! Pizza Boxes (empty, no food)
- Newspapers & Inserts
- Magazines & Catalogs
- Paper Bags
- Shredded Paper (in clear plastic or a paper bag)
- White & Colored Paper (staples, paper clips, spirals OK)
- Wrapping Paper
NO
Plastic bags are not accepted in the curbside program because they jam the equipment at the recycling sorting facility. Styrofoam is not accepted in the curbside program because it will get shredded by the sorting equipment and end up as litter at the facility. The best approach for Styrofoam is to avoid it or reduce the need for it, since there is considerable pollution during its manufacture and incineration at the time of disposal. DPW encourages residents to
- Ask for non-Styrofoam takeout containers such as foil or plastic at restaurants, or bring reusable containers from home.
- Choose grocery and retail products that do not have Styrofoam packaging.
- Send letters to ask manufacturers and restaurants to replace Styrofoam with more recyclable alternatives such as molded paperboard or inflatable plastic packaging.
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
Email Us
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
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