Waste Reduction
The things we throw out have a large impact on our health and the health of the environment. All of the items we put in our trash carts are either sent to a landfill or incinerated, and both processes can pollute our air and water. We can reduce this impact by reducing the total amount of waste we generate, and by making sure that the waste we do generate is separated so that some of the waste can be reused or recycled.
Progress Toward Waste Reduction
Achieving Our Waste Reduction Goals
With 2008 as a baseline, our goal is to reduce trash 50% by 2030 and 80% by 2050. By recycling and composting, we’ve made significant gains. We have already reduced our trash by 30%.
Progress Toward Waste Reduction
Aligning with State Goals
The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection's 2010-2020 Solid Waste Master Plan calls for reducing residential trash 30% by 2020 and 80% by 2050 from a 2008 baseline. Cambridge has adopted these goals.
Curbside Trash Tonnage
Annual Trash Collection
We met our 30% trash reduction goal a year early in 2019. With the pandemic, our 2020 trash tonnage increased by 15% from the previous year, just falling short of our 2020 goal. In 2022, we have gotten back to meeting our 2020 goal. More work is needed to ensure we are on track to meet our 2030 and 2050 goals.
Please note compost collection was suspended from March 2020 - May 2021.
Household Waste
Waste Per Household
Much of the waste generated in Cambridge households can be diverted from the waste stream, and instead be recycled or composted.
UNIT | Cambridge measures its progress towards the goal by using pounds of trash per household per week. When this is combined with data on the total tons of recycled and composted materials, we can see how well we’re doing with both reducing waste overall, and diverting waste into recycling and composting. | lbs/HH/wkPounds per Household per Week |
Cambridge measures its progress towards the goal by using pounds of trash per household per week. When this is combined with data on the total tons of recycled and composted materials, we can see how well we’re doing with both reducing waste overall, and diverting waste into recycling and composting. | lbs/HH/wkPounds per Household per Week |
Waste Per Household
Pounds Per Week
Here we see a decline over time in the pounds of trash collected per household per week to about 15.5 pounds per household per week in 2022. This tells us that City services and educational campaigns were successful in creating a shift in behavior, but as you can see in 2020 the COVID-19 pandemic has led to new challenges related to waste generation. Not only did we have to suspend compost collect from March 2020 to May 2021 to accommodate social distancing for trash collection, but staying home and working from home increased the amount of trash generated.
What's in Cambridge's Trash?
What's in our Trash?
This pie chart gives us an excellent breakdown of what we threw away in Cambridge in 2022 and the opportunity we have to reduce the amount of material going into our landfills and incinerators. As we can see, 46% of everything we put in our trash carts is actually trash. The other 54% can be recycled or composted. Check out the How You Can Help section below to learn more.
How you Can Help
Get Rid of It Right - By Composting!
How You Can Help
Compost and Recycle Right
Composting and recycling help to minimize the amount of trash that goes to incinerator/landfill, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and yield useful products.
