Free Finished Compost from Yard Waste Program Being Distributed Oct 29

The City of Cambridge will be distributing finished compost free of charge to Cambridge residents on Saturday, October 29, from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m., at Joan Lorentz Park, (in front of Cambridge Public Library), 449 Broadway, Cambridge. The rain date is October 30 at same time and location.

The finished compost was processed by the city’s contractor, Save That Stuff. Cambridge residents send approximately 2,000 tons of yard waste to their processing site in West Bridgewater, MA each year. To receive finished compost, residents must bring their own bins to the event. There is a limit of 20 gallons per household. Information about recycling and composting will also be available at this event.

For several years, the Cambridge Department of Public Works has distributed finished compost to residents. Supporting local gardening and community gardens is important for improving the air quality and quality of life for Cambridge residents. There are 14 active community gardens located throughout the city, serving as areas of beautification, vegetable production, and community gathering places.
Yard waste (grass, leaves, twigs, etc) is prohibited from trash disposal and must be collected separately. The city offers yard waste curbside pick-up weekly, from April 1- December 31. Yard waste should be placed in paper yard waste bags or in your own personal barrel (with a red "Yard Waste Only" sticker on it). Request a sticker here.

Collecting yard waste on streets, sidewalks, and yards is important to protecting our waterways. When residents collect yard waste, they keep it from being carried into storm drains. When leaves and twigs get into storm drains, phosphorus is released into the Charles River and Alewife Brook. In water, phosphorus acts as a pollutant, causing toxic algae blooms which can harm fish, humans, and pets. For more information about composting, recycling, and yard waste, visit Cambridgema.gov/recycling.