Waste Management & Policies
Waste management and recycling policies in Cambridge are dictated by Municipal Code 8.24: Refuse & Litter Ordinance. All commercial, nonprofit, institutional and residential buildings in Cambridge must comply with the Ordinance and Rules & Regulations.
The Refuse & Litter Ordinance was revised in 2026 to reflect changes in the City and waste management trends. The changes are expected to improve cleanliness of the streets and sidewalks, reduce rodent activity, and address dwindling landfill capacity and increasing costs to trash our waste. The Ordinance changes take effect February 3, 2027. Property Owners and Property Managers are responsible for compliance. The two largest changes are:
- All buildings are required to separate food waste from their regular trash.
- Large residential (>13 units) and commercial buildings (>25,000 square feet) must submit Zero Waste Plans to document how their building is working with tenants to comply with the Refuse & Litter Ordinance.
Other Requirements (Both New and Current) for Waste Management in Cambridge:
- Other items banned from trash disposal: Recyclables, yard waste, textiles, mattresses, hazardous waste, and batteries.
- Property Owners and Managers must maintain waste carts and dumpsters.
- Lids of dumpsters and carts must be closed at all times.
- If there are signs of rodents accessing containers (i.e. holes in carts), owners are required to replace them within 15 days.
- If using City waste programs, property managers must also label carts with their address.
- There is a $50 charge to replace lost carts or carts chewed-through by rodents.
- To maintain sidewalk accessibility, please follow these rules for placing carts out for collection.
- Carts must be at the curb by 7am on collection day (or after 6pm the evening before).
- Carts must be removed from the curb by 6pm on collection day.
Violations are subject to a fine up to $300 per day. DPW is taking an education-first approach to implementation. Our job is to make sure no one is penalized because they did not have the right information or support.
Tools & Assistance to Help with Compliance
- Use the Get Rid of It Right tool to look-up how to dispose of items.
- To review all requirements, DPW has created this helpful checklist for building owners, property managers, and residents.
- DPW is offering free on-site technical assistance. Please fill out this form if interested.
- To learn about the City’s programs for managing recycling, food waste and more, visit here.
- For more assistance or questions, please email Recycle@Cambridgema.gov
Until December 24, 2026 the Department of Public Works is accepting comments and feedback on the Rules and Regulations associated with the Refuse & Litter Ordinance. The Rules & Regulations are found at the end of the Ordinance text here
Other Waste-related Ordinances: