Recycling Advisory Committee (RAC)

Description

Recycling Advisory Committee (RAC) Meeting Agenda

November 12, 2025, 8:00am – 9:30am

Minute Taker: Dailey Brannin

Hybrid Meeting

Join virtually: Email Mike Orr for Zoom link: morr@cambridgema.gov

Join in-person: 147 Hampshire St

1. Housekeeping, 8:00am (10 min)

• Vote on October 2025 Minutes
• Call for new RAC members. Please email Mike whether you plan to submit for reappointment by 11/30.

2. City Updates & discussion (65 min)

• Waste Sort
  • City collects trash from two sections of two different collection routes (i.e. Monday & Thursday trash routes)
  • Sort waste into 8-10 categories. Here are the high-level results from previous sorts.

• Cart requests managed by DPW. Over last 12 months:
  • 1,100 requests for yard waste stickers, flyers, etc.
  • 2,700 properties requested cart swap/deliveries, nearly 25% of all residential buildings.
  • In 2021, we managed 60 deliveries per week. Citywide inventory was 30,000 carts
  • In 2025, we average 110 deliveries per week. Citywide inventory is 60,000 cart
  • Recycle carts: Most are now 15 years old; many will be breaking in coming years.
  • Trash carts: Still dealing with Otto trash cart defect. We swap out 10 per week. City using our warranty to get fixed carts.

• MassDEP announcement on food waste:
  • Stage 1: On or after Nov. 1 2028. Commercial Organics Ban threshold reducing from 0.5 tons per week to zero. Consider exemption for businesses with incidental food waste (e.g., offices with lunch-room waste, medical offices, non-food retail, etc.). Would most likely include all schools (assuming have a cafeteria)Stage 2: On or after Nov. 1 2030. Residential Organics Ban. Municipalities with specified program would be considered compliant

• Pumpkins and leaves: We want as much as you can give us!

• New Recycle & YW collection contract with Casella Waste Systems (contract previously signed with Save That Stuff before Casella acquired STS)
  • 2 full EVs joining the fleet.
  • DPW currently has 3 EVs for daily collection and a 4th arrives in Spring 2026.
  • Casella will collect from up to 325 small businesses, twice per week. Up from 280 currently.

• BigBelly installations this Fall: City installing 200 double stations to reduce rodent control and to increase the number of stations with recycling. In 2018, there were apprx 180 public area recycle bins. By end of 2025, we estimate apprx 500.
• Recollect (aka Zero Waste Cambridge app) metrics:
  • Waste:
    • 7,200 weekly reminders for waste collection
    • 300 searches per day in Get Rid of It Right on instructions on how to dispose of something. Top searches:

• 6,600 downloads of Zero Waste Cambridge app
• 10,000 people have played sorting game. Most misunderstood materials:

• Street Cleaning:

• 17,750 individuals receiving reminders

3. Closing, 9:20 am (10 min)

• Public Comment
• Action Plan/Decision
• Announcements

Committee members are appointed by the City Manager. All meetings are open to the public. Members of the public may speak during the public comment section for up to two minutes. If you wish to speak, please contact Mike Orr at 617 349-4815 or morr@cambridgema.gov by 1pm the day before the meeting. You may also email or mail written comments for inclusion in public comments in lieu of speaking during the meeting. The Committee Chair must grant permission to non-members who request to speak at the meeting.

Meeting Minutes are located online here: CambridgeMA.Gov/Services/Recycling

Upcoming Meetings

• December 10
• January 14, 2026