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A Record Year for Trash Reduction

caution sign The information on this page may be outdated as it was published 5 years ago.

Zero Waste rev

Cambridge had an extraordinary year for trash reduction. In 2018, the City expanded curbside composting to 20,000 additional households, resulting in a total trash reduction of 8%! In recent years, year-over-year trash reduction has been around 1%.


Fast Facts:
  • 1,200 tons of food waste has been collected curbside since April 2018
  • 2,018 tons of yard waste was collected in 2018
  • There was an 8% reduction in trash in 2018
  • 100 tons of scrap metal was recycled at the DPW Recycling Center
  • 9,000 tons of curbside recycling was collected in 2018

In 2019, the City will continue with its efforts to reduce waste. Stay tuned for some exciting updates in recycling, including the completion of the Cambridge Zero Waste Master Plan and a new program aimed at keeping certain items out of the trash.

Here are additional ways you can help reduce waste in Cambridge:

If you live in a building with 13 or more units and do not have curbside composting available to you, you can still drop off food scraps at these locations:

  • Cambridge Community Center - 5 Callender St. (Howard St. side of the building). Open 24 hours
  • Danehy Park, New Street Parking Lot. Open 24 Hours. 
  • Recycling Center, 147 Hampshire St. Open Tues/Thurs 4PM-7:30PM, Sat 9AM-4PM
Have items that can't be recycled in your curbside cart? Bring them to the Recycling Center and we'll recycle them for you!

Not sure how to get rid of an item in your home? Use our Get Rid of It Right tool to find out how to recycle or dispose of something.

Need more compost bags? We're giving them away for free! Click here for locations.

Thanks for helping make 2018 a record year in waste reduction!



Page was posted on 1/7/2019 9:57 AM
Page was last modified on 7/25/2023 3:39 AM
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