City Council Adopts Zero Waste Master Plan 2.0

The City of Cambridge is excited to announce the completion and adoption of its second Zero Waste Master Plan (ZWMP 2.0). On Monday, June 9th, the City Council formally adopted ZWMP 2.0. The updated plan builds on the successes of ZWMP 1.0 and outlines goals to further reduce waste and improve sustainability across the City. The City’s Department of Public Works (DPW) will begin implementation of the Plan immediately.

ZWMP 2.0 goals:

• Reduce trash 50% by 2030 and 80% by 2050, with 2008 as a baseline.
• Improve sanitation and reduce rodent activity.
• Reduce environmental impacts of waste streams by maximizing reduce & reuse and diverting waste from the trash.
• Make the City’s waste programs more equitable and accessible.

ZWMP 2.0 builds off of the successes of ZWMP 1.0. Since the launch of the first Zero Waste Master Plan, Cambridge has implemented several key initiatives:

• The Curbside Compost program expanded to all 1-12 unit residential buildings (2018), 13+ unit residential buildings on a rolling basis (2019-present), and small food establishments (2021 and expanded in 2022).
• The Small Business Recycle Program was launched (2018) and expanded (2020).
• The “Recycle Right” Campaign reduced contamination in recycling from 11% in 2018 to 4% in 2020, reducing recycling processing costs by $90,000/year.
• The Mattress Recycling Program was launched (2019).
• Yard Waste Collection was extended by two weeks through December 31 (2020).
• A comprehensive Textiles Recovery Program was initiated (2021).
• Standard Trash Carts were launched across the City (2022).

As a result of ZWMP 1.0, the City has reduced trash by 36% through 2024. In 2023, for the first time, the City’s residents has diverted more than 50% of waste, meaning we divert more material than we trash, a significant milestone in sustainability.

What’s Next: Key Strategies in ZWMP 2.0
Over the next five plus years, Cambridge will implement 18 new strategies to continue reducing waste. The strategies have been prioritized using data about existing programs, evaluating best practices from across the country, and through extensive stakeholder engagement including listening sessions, interviews, public events, and surveys.

Key strategies include:

• Requiring annual Zero Waste Plans for residential buildings (13+ units) and commercial buildings (25,000+ square feet).
• Mandating food waste diversion for all residential and commercial buildings.
• Reducing move-in / move-out waste.
• Decreasing waste from retail establishments.
• Improving accessibility to the Recycling Center.

The Zero Waste Master Plan is a key component of Cambridge’s broader climate and sustainability efforts, supporting the City’s Net Zero Action Plan, which aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from buildings and energy use. By significantly reducing landfill waste and expanding composting, Cambridge is cutting down on methane emissions—a potent greenhouse gas produced by decomposing waste in landfills.

The City will begin working on implementing the strategies in ZWMP 2.0 immediately. To stay up-to-date on the Zero Waste Master Plan or news on City’s waste programs or changes, sign-up for the monthly e-newsletter here. To read the full ZWMP 2.0, visit www.CambridgeMA.gov/ZWMP.