A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the submission of the Zero Waste Master Plan

Zero Waste Master Plan 2.0 City of Cambridge Published: May 2025

CAMBRIDGE ZERO WASTE MASTER PLAN 2 | EXECUTIVE SUMMARY EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The City of Cambridge’s recycling program began in 1989 by a group of dedicated volunteers. Since that time the recycling program and other programs to reduce waste have greatly expanded. In 2009, the City made a commitment to zero waste by establishing its first formal waste reduction goals; reduce trash 30% by 2020 and 80% by 2050, with 2008 as a baseline. In 2019, the city developed its first Zero Waste Master Plan (ZWMP 1.0) that identified key strategies to meet these goals. By 2019, the City had successfully met the 2020 goal of reducing trash by 30%. This updated Zero Waste Master Plan (ZWMP 2.0) provides status updates on the strategies implemented through ZWMP 1.0, establishes an interim waste reduction goal for 2030 (50% reduction, with 2008 as a baseline), and identifies additional strategies that will be needed in order to meet these goals. The plan has four key 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. As of 2024, the City has reduced trash by 36%. Through this ZWMP 2.0, eighteen strategies have been prioritized using data about existing programs, evaluating best practices from across the country, and through extensive community engagement including listening sessions, interviews, public events, and surveys. These strategies do not reflect all of the work that the City is undertaking to reduce trash, but are the key strategies that are critical to implement in order to meet the trash reduction goals. The strategies prioritize actions in the next five years, with a commitment to update the Zero Waste Master Plan (ZWMP 3.0) in 2030. In addition to new strategies, the plan also highlights Ongoing Strategies that play a critical role in supporting the community’s commitment to zero waste, ensuring steady progress and long-term sustainability. Throughout this document, the icons below are used to indicate which areas are a focus of each strategy.

CAMBRIDGE ZERO WASTE MASTER PLAN 3 | EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Short-Term Strategies (1-3 Years) Primary Topics Strategy #1: Require annual Zero Waste Plans for residential buildings (13+ units) and commercial buildings (25,000+ square feet). Strategy #2: Require food waste diversion for all residential and commercial buildings. Strategy #3: Reduce move-in / move-out waste. Strategy #4: Reduce waste from food and retail establishments. Strategy #5: Improve accessibility to the Recycling Center. Medium-Term Strategies (3-5 Years) Primary Topics Strategy #6: Enforce food waste diversion requirements for residents and businesses. Strategy #7: Evaluate a hybrid Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT) program. Strategy #8: Provide technical assistance to the commercial sector.

CAMBRIDGE ZERO WASTE MASTER PLAN 4 | EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Long-Term Strategies (5+ Years) Primary Topics Strategy #9: Foster a “Reduce & Reuse” Culture in the Commercial Sector Strategy #10: Lead by example and continually revisit policies and practices. Ongoing Strategies Primary Topics Strategy #11: Host educational events and workshops on reduce & reuse topics. Strategy #12: Conduct waste composition studies every three years. Strategy #13: Collaborate with local and statewide initiatives to ensure the City is working in concert with the region. Strategy #14: Collaborate with recycling facilities to determine if new materials can be diverted or reused from the current trash stream. Strategy #15: Facilitate community-based programs to complement the City’s efforts. Strategy #16: Continue to expand zero waste efforts with public school students and staff. Strategy #17: Increase access to waste diversion programs to residents that are less familiar with the programs and provide information in multiple languages. Strategy #18: Remain nimble and adjust plans as needed.

CAMBRIDGE ZERO WASTE MASTER PLAN 5 | TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary .......................................................................................................................................................... 2 Table of Contents .............................................................................................................................................................. 5 Introduction ....................................................................................................................................................................... 6 Update from ZWMP 1.0 ................................................................................................................................................ 7 ZWMP 2.0 Overview ...................................................................................................................................................... 8 Existing City Conditions .................................................................................................................................................. 10 Existing Program Landscape ...................................................................................................................................... 11 Stakeholder Engagement ............................................................................................................................................... 18 ZWMP 2.0 Strategies ........................................................................................................................................................ 21 Ongoing Strategies ...................................................................................................................................................... 38 Conclusion/SMART Goals................................................................................................................................................ 40 Appendices ....................................................................................................................................................................... 42 List of Tables Table 1: Existing Residential Curbside Services by Material and High-Level Gaps ....................................... 11 Table 2: Existing Other Services through the City ............................................................................................. 12 Table 3: Size of Buildings and Percent of Housing Stock ................................................................................. 24 List of Figures Figure 1: Cambridge Trash Reduction Goals ........................................................................................................ 7 Figure 2: Disposal Fees for Cambridge Trash ....................................................................................................... 8 Figure 3: 2022 Cambridge Waste Characterization .............................................................................................9 Figure 4: Estimated Cambridge Trash Generation (2019) ...................................................................................9 Figure 5: Average Household Trash in Peer Municipalities ..............................................................................10 Figure 6: 2024 Residential Waste Generation .....................................................................................................13 Figure 7: Historical Residential Materials Collected by Calendar Year ............................................................14 Figure 8: Projection of Waste Generation Through The Year 2050 ................................................................ 40

CAMBRIDGE ZERO WASTE MASTER PLAN 6 | INTRODUCTION Introduction In 2009, the City of Cambridge began its path to zero waste by establishing its first waste reduction goals; reduce trash 30% by 2020 and 80% by 2050, with 2008 as a baseline. In 2019, the City published its first Zero Waste Master Plan (ZWMP 1.0). The Plan identified key strategies to meet the waste reduction goals. By 2019, the City had successfully met the 2020 goal of reducing trash by 30%. The City has continued reducing trash and by 2024 achieved a 36% reduction in trash. This Zero Waste Master Plan, ZWMP 2.0, provides updates on ZWMP 1.0 strategies, establishes an interim waste reduction goal for 2030 (50% reduction), and identifies additional strategies to meet the 2030 and 2050 goals. While definitions of “zero waste” vary, the City adopts the approach that the term encapsulates a long-term vision: after strong efforts to reduce & reuse, all remaining discarded materials are designed to become resources for others. This aligns with the definition applied by organizations like the Zero Waste International Alliance.1 Achieving zero waste takes time and is sequential: it starts with small steps that lead to other small steps and, over time yields big results. This “crawl, walk, run” philosophy of change is a theme of ZWMP 2.0. We aim to support individuals, organizations, institutions, and businesses as we all take the short, medium and long-term steps to adopt zero waste practices. ZWMP 2.0 supports four guiding principles that drive the Department of Public Works (DPW): provide high-quality services, protect and support the health of employees and the public, manage cost, and reduce trash. To develop ZWMP 2.0, the City hired Resource Recycling Systems (RRS). 1 Zero Waste International Alliance, http://zwia.org/standards/zw-definition/

CAMBRIDGE ZERO WASTE MASTER PLAN 7 | INTRODUCTION UPDATE FROM ZWMP 1.0 The City has successfully implemented key strategies from ZWMP 1.0, as summarized below. ZWMP 1.0 Accomplishments: • 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). The City met its 2020 goal of reducing trash 30% in 2019. By 2024, the City achieved a 36% reduction in trash. The next two goals are to reduce trash 50% by 2030 (11.4 pounds per household per week) and 80% by 2050 (4.6 pounds/household/week). Figure 1: Cambridge Trash Reduction Goals 22.8 16 14.7 11.4 4.6 0 5 10 15 20 25 2008 Baseline 2020 Goal 2024 (actual) 2030 Goal 2050 Goal Trash (pounds/household/wk)

CAMBRIDGE ZERO WASTE MASTER PLAN 8 | INTRODUCTION ZWMP 2.0 OVERVIEW One of the first steps in the ZWMP 2.0 development was for the City and RRS to take a deep dive into current data, information, and trends in waste disposal both nationally and regionally. Figure 2 shows the price for disposing of trash, recycling, and compost (food waste) from 2014 to 2024 (the costs do not include hauling). The most pronounced change over this 10-year period is the per-ton cost for trash disposal, which has risen 85% in the last 10 years (from $75 in 2014 to $139 in 2024). Massachusetts has the highest trash disposal costs in the US and the future trends are bleak. Trash disposal costs are expected to continue to increase as the Northeast faces limited disposal capacity, and more trash is being exported out of state each year. In 2014, MA sent approximately 700,000 tons of trash out of state. By 2023, the figure had ballooned to 2.7 million tons exported.2 Meanwhile, nearby states have seen reduced capacity or have banned out-of-state trash. Figure 2: Disposal Fees for Cambridge Waste; note: recycling disposal costs are variable based on market rates. 2 https://www.mass.gov/doc/2018-solid-waste-data-update/download & https://www.mass.gov/doc/2023-solid-waste-data- update/download $139 $81 $67 $0 $20 $40 $60 $80 $100 $120 $140 $160 2014 2018 2024 Trash Compost Recycle

CAMBRIDGE ZERO WASTE MASTER PLAN 9 | INTRODUCTION To understand the composition of our current waste, the City conducted a waste characterization study in 2022. In this study, residential trash is collected and sorted to determine what residents are putting in their trash. Approximately 55% of what is placed in residential trash can be diverted through existing city programs for compost (29%), recycling (13%), or programs to manage textiles, metal or e-waste (13%). The remaining 45% of the residential trash that was sorted was considered “trash” and includes diapers, pet waste, plastic film/bags, and other items not accepted in current recycling and compost programs. This data highlights how vital it is to continue increasing participation in the compost and recycling programs. It is important to note that trash reduction goals and the data shared above are focused on the City’s residential sector, the area where DPW has more control to implement zero waste strategies. COMMERCIAL TRASH & RECYCLING Cambridge has a large commercial sector and in 2022, the City worked with a consultant to estimate the volume of commercial and residential trash produced in the city.3 This Trash Generation Study estimated that more than 120,000 tons of 0 20,000 40,000 60,000 80,000 100,000 120,000 140,000 Commercial Residential Tons Sector Compostables, 29% Recycling, 13% Other *, 13% “Trash”, 45% Figure 3: 2022 Cambridge Waste Characterization. *Other=Textiles, metal, or e-waste Figure 4: Estimated Citywide Trash Generation commercial trash are generated annually. That is more than 6 times the estimated 20,000 tons of residential trash generated citywide. A goal of ZWMP 2.0 is to better understand the mix of trash, recycling and compost in the commercial sector. By understanding this data, effective diversion programs and policies can be implemented in the commercial sector where the potential gains are significant. 3 https://www.cambridgema.gov/- /media/Files/publicworksdepartment/recyclingandrubbish/zerowastemasterplan/citywidetrashgenerationstudy2022.pdf

CAMBRIDGE ZERO WASTE MASTER PLAN 10 | EXISTING CITY CONDITIONS EXISTING CITY CONDITIONS The City currently provides residents with a variety of services. The DPW collects trash, food waste, appliances, and TVs from residents using city staff and private contractors to collect recyclables, yard waste, mattresses and textiles. Private- sector contractors also provide waste processing and/or disposal, as well as most collection services for commercial buildings. Cambridge is an excellent waste diversion performer. In 2023, Cambridge households generate (14.7 lbs of trash per week) less than half the statewide household average (31.9 lbs of trash per week, as estimated by MassDEP). Figure 5 shows 2021 data from the most comparable communities in the state and highlights the success of Cambridge’s efforts to reduce trash. Figure 5: Average Household Trash Generation in Peer Municipalities (2021) KEY STATISTICS 2020 Census Population: 118,403 Approximate # of Households: 58,000 2024 Residential Diversion Rate: 51% CHANGES TO CITY MANAGED RESIDENTIAL WASTE GENERATION BETWEEN 2018 AND 2024: Trash Collected: 7% ⬇ Food Waste Collected: 63% ⬆ Other Diversion Collected: 182%⬆ 16.4 18.3 22.7 23.5 24.5 24.6 26.8 28.9 32.7 36.6 37.2 40.5 45.8 45.9 0.0 10.0 20.0 30.0 40.0 50.0 Cambridge Worcester Brookline Arlington Newton Belmont Somerville Boston Medford Watertown Quincy Lowell Lawrence Springfield Trash (pounds per household per week)

CAMBRIDGE ZERO WASTE MASTER PLAN 11 | EXISTING CITY CONDITIONS In addition to reducing trash, Cambridge is committed to reducing the environmental impact of its collection vehicles. The City has three hybrid collection vehicles, and three all- electric collection vehicles (EVs); another EV will arrive in 2026. Additionally, the City’s contractor for recycling and yard waste collection will add two EV collection vehicles to their fleet beginning in Fall 2025. EXISTING PROGRAM LANDSCAPE The City tracks daily tonnage reports for trash, recycling, compost, yard waste, mattresses, textiles, e-waste, and scrap metal, as well as the number of households and businesses that each program serves. Table 1: Existing Residential Curbside Services by Material and Disposal Sites MATERIAL COLLECTION SERVICES DISPOSAL SITE(S) Trash Weekly collection by city staff 32,800 households -Turnkey Landfill, NH -Landfill in Virginia -Covanta Incinerator, Haverhill, MA Single Stream Recycling Weekly collection by contractors 48,500 households 268 small businesses -Casella; Charlestown, MA Compost (Food Waste) Weekly collection by city staff 39,000 households (with approx. 50% participation rate) 87 small businesses -WM CORe; Charlestown, MA. -Greater Lawrence Sanitary District; North Andover, MA Yard Waste Weekly collection by contractors (Apr 1 – Dec 31) 48,500 households -Landscape Express; Woburn, MA or West Roxbury, MA. -Save That Stuff, Brockton, MA

CAMBRIDGE ZERO WASTE MASTER PLAN MATERIAL SERVICE ACCEPTED ITEMS Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) 4 collection days annually Chemicals (antifreeze, motor oil, cleaners, etc.), mercury containing products, paints, poisons, prescription medicines, propane and fire extinguishers, and non-alkaline batteries. Bulky Materials Weekly collection: some items require $25 payment Appliances, TVs, mattresses, other large metal/electronic items. Recycling Center Open three days per week Serves residents, and small businesses / non-profits with fewer than 50 employees Mercury-containing items, small electronics, plastic film, books, scrap metal, bulky rigid plastics, printer cartridges, single-stream recycling. Textiles Weekly collection and drop-off bins All textiles, including footwear, clothing, linens, accessories. School Recycling & Composting All 14 Public Schools Recycling and composting EDUCATION & OUTREACH The City’s DPW staff do extensive education and outreach with residents, businesses, institutions and schools. The DPW webpage for curbside collection includes information on how to sort waste properly and donate unwanted items, along with resources for multi-family buildings including flyers in multiple languages. The Get Rid of It Right tool allows residents to look-up how to properly dispose of waste, see their collection calendar and take the recycling game to test their knowledge. The Get Rid of It Right tool is used to look up disposal questions more than 500 times per day. DPW staff provides technical assistance for increasing waste diversion throughout the city. For example, the Recycling Program Manager works closely with custodians at all city and school 12 | EXISTING CITY CONDITIONS Table 2: Other Services Available through the City

CAMBRIDGE ZERO WASTE MASTER PLAN 13 | EXISTING CITY CONDITIONS buildings to ensure recycling and composting are being used to the fullest extent. City staff also give presentations and work with property managers to improve diversion at muti-family properties. A few other key education and outreach efforts the City performs are: • Mailing postcards to all residential addresses annually to share resources on waste reduction programs. • Emailing newsletters to more than 10,000 addresses each month with updates on waste programs, fun facts, and reduce & reuse tips. • Inviting residents and city officials to webinars and tours of waste management facilities • Tabling at large citywide events such as Fresh Pond Day, Danehy Park Day, and River Fest. Compost

CAMBRIDGE ZERO WASTE MASTER PLAN 14 | EXISTING CITY CONDITIONS All of these education and outreach programs have contributed to high marks from residents on waste management services. In a 2024 survey to a representative sample of residents, 85% of resident rated the trash, recycle and compost programs as “Excellent” or “Good”. In 2023, for the first time ever, more materials were diverted through recycling, composting, yard waste, mattresses, textiles, and e-waste than were trashed. Figure 7: Historical Residential Materials Collected by Calendar Year *Other Diversion=Scrap metal, textiles, mattresses, and e-waste. 14,251 13,608 12,946 14,923 13,881 13,069 12,604 12,631 - 2,000 4,000 6,000 8,000 10,000 12,000 14,000 16,000 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 Tons Calendar Year Residential Waste Collected by Calendar Year Recycling Compost Yard waste Other Diversion* Trash

CAMBRIDGE ZERO WASTE MASTER PLAN 15 | EXISTING CITY CONDITIONS Caption: Recycling Advisory Committee (RAC) members and City staff conduct outreach.

CAMBRIDGE ZERO WASTE MASTER PLAN Caption: RAC members, residents, City staff, and City Councilors join for tours of various waste management facilities to learn more about how to improve our programs and outreach efforts. 16 | EXISTING CITY CONDITIONS

CAMBRIDGE ZERO WASTE MASTER PLAN Top Row: Volunteer Fixers help residents fix items at the Cambridge Fix-It Clinic Middle Row: Residents scoop up finished compost for their garden on Earth Day 2024; DPW Staffer helps students reduce trash at lunchtime at Cambridge Public School. Bottom Row: Advertisements for recycle and compost programs at MBTA and BlueBikes stations. 17 | EXISTING CITY CONDITIONS

CAMBRIDGE ZERO WASTE MASTER PLAN 18 | STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT The City of Cambridge recognizes that achieving a successful and equitable ZWMP 2.0 requires meaningful engagement with residents, businesses, and stakeholders. To ensure broad community participation and input, the City implemented a comprehensive outreach and engagement strategy throughout 2024. This multi-faceted approach included in-person events, online surveys, newsletters, social media outreach, and direct community engagement efforts to educate residents and collect feedback. Public Meetings and Community Events • Open House – June 2024: The City and its consultants, RRS, hosted an Open House at the King Open School to introduce the Zero Waste Master Plan update and gather resident input on current waste behaviors and preferences. More than 100 Cambridge households attended the event, engaging in discussions and providing feedback through a structured multiple-choice survey. • City Council Hearing – October 22, 2024: DPW presented draft strategies for the Zero Waste Master Plan at a hearing of the City Council’s Health & Environment Committee. The presentation included a review of past achievements, current challenges, and proposed zero waste strategies for ZWMP 2.0. Community Flyer Distribution To reach residents who may not engage with digital media, the City distributed printed flyers advertising Zero Waste Plan Open House & Zero Waste Plan 2.0 Survey at key locations, including: • The Cambridge Recycle Center • Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day • All Cambridge Public Library branches • City parks, municipal buildings, youth centers, and health centers • Local businesses • Additionally, the Cambridge Public School E- Newsletter (June 2024) featured a flyer to engage school communities. Online Surveys and Feedback Collection To ensure that residents could provide input at their convenience, the City conducted multiple rounds of online public surveys: • Zero Waste Plan 2.0 Survey – June 2024: Launched alongside the Open House, this survey gathered responses from more than 600 residents, providing valuable insights into household waste management behaviors and priorities. To enhance

CAMBRIDGE ZERO WASTE MASTER PLAN 19 | STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT accessibility, the survey was translated into seven languages and distributed widely through digital and print channels. The online survey was open from July 15 to August 16, 2024. • Draft Strategies Public Feedback Survey – October 29 to November 30, 2024: Following the presentation to the City Council on October 22, the City launched an additional round of public feedback on the Draft Zero Waste Strategies. This survey allowed residents to review key recommendations and provide feedback before finalizing the plan. Newsletters and Email Communications The Cambridge Recycling Newsletter, which reaches more than 10,000 subscribers, played a key role in promoting engagement opportunities: • January 2024: Announced a community webinar introducing the City’s recycling and compost programs and initiating discussions on the Zero Waste Master Plan update. • May 2024: Encouraged residents to attend the Zero Waste Plan Open House on June 12, providing a link to past zero waste achievements. • July 2024: Shared a “Missed the Kick-Off? You Can Still Participate!” update, encouraging survey participation. • August 2024: Published a final call for Zero Waste Plan 2.0 Survey responses, urging residents to provide input before the deadline. • October 2024: Thanked residents for their participation and announced the next step— a City Council hearing on October 22. • November 2024: Launched the “Zero Waste Master Plan – Seeking Feedback” campaign, providing links to the October 22 presentation and draft strategies, with feedback open until November 30. Social Media and Digital Communications The City of Cambridge Official Facebook page and other social media platforms were actively used to promote engagement opportunities: • January 15, 2024: Announced the Jan. 2024 webinar to educate the community. • June 11, 2024: Encouraged attendance at the Zero Waste Plan Open House. • August 12, 2024: Reminded residents to complete the Zero Waste Plan 2.0 Survey before the August 16 deadline. • November 3 and November 12, 2024: Published announcements about the Draft Zero Waste Strategies, urging residents to review and provide feedback.

CAMBRIDGE ZERO WASTE MASTER PLAN City Website and Cambridge Daily Updates Key updates were posted on the City of Cambridge website and included in the Cambridge Daily Update (6,000 subscribers), a widely distributed digital bulletin: • June 10, 2024: Promoted the Zero Waste Plan Open House. • August 14, 2024: Issued a final reminder to “Take the Zero Waste Plan 2.0 Survey before August 16”. • November 9, 2024: Published a feature on the Draft Zero Waste Master Plan Strategies, linking to the City Council presentation and public feedback form. CAMBRIDGE RESIDENTS A summary of the feedback from the Zero Waste Open House and Zero Waste Plan 2.0 survey is provided in Appendix A. CITY STAFF The RRS team worked with the Department of Public Works, Inspectional Services Department, Economic Opportunity and Development Division, and other city staff throughout the development of this plan. RECYCLING ADVISORY COMMITTEE The RRS team met with the Recycling Advisory Committee (RAC) to solicit recommendations for this plan. RAC members discussed various topics through a guided discussion and helped shape the strategies. 20 | STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT LARGE PROPERTY MANAGERS The City and RRS met with several of the largest commercial property managers including Alexandria Real Estate, DivcoWest, Boston Properties, and MIT Investment Management Company. On the residential side, the City met with Cambridge Housing Authority (CHA) and other large residential property managers. WASTE SITES The City met with staff at the Greater Lawrence Sanitary District and Waste Management to discuss the food waste program. The City met with Casella to understand how their retrofitted Material Recovery Facility (MRF) is managing materials and increasing value to the City. MIT AND HARVARD UNIVERSITY The RRS team met with sustainability and waste management staff at MIT and Harvard University to better understand the universities’ waste generation, diversion efforts, and opportunities for collaboration.

CAMBRIDGE ZERO WASTE MASTER PLAN 21 | ZWMP 2.0 STRATEGIES ZWMP 2.0 STRATEGIES ZWMP 2.0 is organized into four sets of strategies: short, medium, long-term, and ongoing strategies. The strategies are designed to build off of and support each other, while achieving the desired trash reduction goals. ZERO WASTE PLAN OBJECTIVES: • 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. Short-Term Strategies (1-3 Years) Primary Topics Strategy #1: Require annual Zero Waste Plans for residential buildings (13+ units) and commercial buildings (25,000+ square feet). Strategy #2: Require food waste diversion for all residential and commercial buildings. Strategy #3: Reduce move-in / move-out waste. Strategy #4: Reduce waste from food and retail establishments. Strategy #5: Improve accessibility to the Recycling Center.

CAMBRIDGE ZERO WASTE MASTER PLAN 22 | ZWMP 2.0 STRATEGIES Medium-Term Strategies (3-5 Years) Primary Topics Strategy #6: Enforce food waste diversion requirements for residents and businesses. Strategy #7: Evaluate a hybrid Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT) program. Strategy #8: Provide technical assistance to the commercial sector. Long-Term Strategies (5+ Years) Primary Topics Strategy #9: Foster a “Reduce & Reuse” Culture in the Commercial Sector Strategy #10: Lead by example and continually revisit policies and practices. Ongoing Strategies Primary Topics Strategy #11: Host educational events and workshops on reduce & reuse topics. Strategy #12: Conduct waste composition studies every three years. Strategy #13: Collaborate with local and statewide initiatives to ensure the City is working in concert with the region. Strategy #14: Collaborate with recycling facilities to determine if new materials can be diverted or reused from the current trash stream.

CAMBRIDGE ZERO WASTE MASTER PLAN 23 | ZWMP 2.0 STRATEGIES Strategy #15: Facilitate community-based programs to complement the City’s efforts. Strategy #16: Continue to expand zero waste efforts with public school students and staff. Strategy #17: Increase access to waste diversion programs to residents that are less familiar with the programs and provide information in multiple languages. Strategy #18: Remain nimble and adjust plans as needed.

CAMBRIDGE ZERO WASTE MASTER PLAN 24 | ZWMP 2.0 STRATEGIES Short-Term STRATEGY #1: REQUIRE PROPERTY MANAGER ZERO WASTE PLANS Background Cambridge has changed significantly over the last 10+ years with the addition of new neighborhoods and major residential and commercial developments. The result is more commercial real estate and more residents living in large buildings, as Table 3 shows. Maximizing diversion in both commercial and multi-family residential buildings is critical to achieving the City’s zero waste goals. Commercial waste is the largest source of waste generation. The City doesn’t manage this waste and currently cannot effectively measure it. The City also doesn’t manage waste from many of the larger residential buildings. Moreso, each year, 20% of residents move out, to be replaced by new tenants who need to learn about proper waste disposal practices. BUILDING SIZE PERCENT OF HOUSING STOCK 1-2 units 19% 3-6 units 19% 7-50 units 18% 51+ units 44% Table 3: Size of Buildings and Percentage of Housing Stock Requiring Zero Waste Plans for these commercial and residential buildings is an effective way to better understand the state of the industry, develop effective waste reduction strategies, and increase communication between city staff and property managers to improve compliance, reduce waste, and better control rodents citywide. Plan of Action REQUIRE PROPERTY MANAGERS SUBMIT ANNUAL ZERO WASTE PLANS To better understand the management of residential and commercial waste, the City will require Zero Waste Plans for multi-family residential and commercial buildings. The City can be proactive to ensure that this requirement rolls out successfully by: • Prioritizing 13+ unit residential buildings and 25,000+ square foot commercial buildings. • Providing property managers with six months notice before implementing the plan requirement. • Providing sample plans and templates for Zero Waste Plans. • Providing technical assistance to property managers to help them meet the requirements and educate residents. The Zero Waste Plans should address: • What vendor(s) are collecting which materials? • What volumes of materials are being trashed, composted, or recycled?

CAMBRIDGE ZERO WASTE MASTER PLAN • How are mattresses and textiles being handled? • How are residents, employees, and/or tenants educated and engaged to compost and recycle? • What training do custodial staff receive? • How often do building managers inspect dumpsters and bins for compliance? How are inspections tracked? • What will the property manager be doing to increase waste reduction and diversion in the coming year? Short-Term STRATEGY #2: REQUIRE FOOD WASTE DIVERSION Background The City’s compost (food waste) program began in April 2014 with a 600-household pilot program. Since then, the program has grown to serve more than 39,000 households and 87 small businesses. Although the program has grown significantly since the launch of citywide collection in 2018, food waste still accounts for 29% of Cambridge’s residential trash stream (see Figure 3), making it the largest portion of the City’s trash that can be diverted immediately. 4 Food Waste Recycling — Environmental and Economic Assessment, https://www.biocycle.net/food-waste-recycling-environmental-and- economic-assessment/ 5 US EPA Food Recovery Hierarchy, https://www.biocycle.net/new-epa-reports-include-food-recovery-hierarchy-replacement-and-great- methane-data/ 6 Anaerobic digestion is a process that breaks down organic materials without oxygen to produce biogas and digestate. 25 | ZWMP 2.0 STRATEGIES The compost program has three significant benefits for the community: 1. Disposal costs for compost ($81/ton) are significantly lower than those for trash ($139/ton), (see Figure 2). 2. Diverting food waste reduces climate emissions more than incinerating or landfilling.4,5 By sending food waste to anaerobic digestion6, the City is reducing climate emissions at landfills, and producing clean energy. 3. Compost carts help reduce rodent activity because their latches make it harder for rodents to access the food waste. Many U.S. cities, such as Seattle, Austin, and Boulder (see Appendix B), have successfully implemented mandates to manage food waste. Feedback from stakeholders and the Recycling Advisory Committee (RAC) indicate that residents generally support mandatory food waste diversion and expanding the program into larger residential buildings, restaurants, and office buildings.

CAMBRIDGE ZERO WASTE MASTER PLAN 26 | ZWMP 2.0 STRATEGIES Plan of Action 1. REQUIRE FOOD WASTE DIVERSION FOR ALL RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS Case Study: City of Cambridge Rodent Analysis In the summer of 2024, Cambridge DPW conducted a curbside audit of trash and compost carts to determine how frequently rodents are chewing through carts. The majority of the compost carts had been at the curb since 2018, when the City rolled out citywide curbside food scrap collection. The majority of trash carts had been at the curb since 2022, when the City rolled out citywide standard trash carts. The audit compared compost and trash carts. Although the trash carts were much newer, DPW found that 10% of trash carts had rodent holes, compared to less than 2% of compost carts. This supports the City’s hypothesis that locking carts for food scraps work better than trash carts for rodent control. Encourage Food Waste Avoidance as Preferable To Food Waste Diversion • Encourage residents and businesses to recover and donate unwanted, consumable food before disposing of it as food waste. • Require all residential and commercial buildings to provide residents/tenants with sufficient collection bins for food waste. • Provide technical assistance where needed to ensure that property managers can effectively implement the program. • Require food establishments collect and divert food scraps generated back of house (pre-consumer). Encourage front of house diversion (post-consumer) if appropriate. • Hire an additional DPW Compliance Officer to work with residents and businesses on the implementation of the food waste diversion program through a combination of education and enforcement. • Implement the requirement through a 3-year phased-in approach. o 2025: Pass the Ordinance and educate the public on the upcoming policy change. o 2026-2027: Begin enforcement for large properties or generators. Direct outreach and support to entities that are still not diverting food waste. o 2027-2028: Evaluate the program and adjust as needed. Consider increased enforcement. 2. LOWER THE MAXIMUM TRASH LIMITS. • The Refuse & Litter Ordinance (8.24) was first written in 1991.Currently the Ordinance states that residents are allowed to set-out up to 150 pounds of trash per household per week. As the Refuse & Litter Ordinance is updated for other changes highlighted in ZWMP 2.0, reducing the trash limit to 45 gallons per household per week will support the City's recycling, food waste, and other diversion programs. The Commissioner may exempt buildings from this requirement on a case-by- case basis. 3. TRANSITION THE "COMPOST PROGRAM" TO BE CALLED THE "FOOD WASTE PROGRAM" As the City transitions to requiring food waste diversion citywide, the name of the curbside compost program will change to the "Food Waste Program" over time.

CAMBRIDGE ZERO WASTE MASTER PLAN 27 | ZWMP 2.0 STRATEGIES Short-Term STRATEGY #3: REDUCE MOVE- IN/MOVE-OUT WASTE Background Each year approximately 20% of Cambridge residents move out, disposing of many reusable items as trash—including furniture, household goods, kitchen items, textiles, electronics, and books. During the three busiest moving weeks (in late May, late August, and early September) trash increases by approximately 20%. Other community members could use these resources, and diverting them from the trash stream can reduce costs to the City and lessen our environmental impact. Plan of Action 1. DEVELOP A RESIDENT TOOLKIT FOR MOVE-IN & MOVE-OUT • Develop a toolkit to include best practices to reuse (or recycle) common items that are frequently discarded when people move. • Ask property managers to share the toolkit with tenants of multi-family buildings. • Use existing outreach and communication channels (i.e. emails, social media, and newsletters) to promote the toolkit. 2. PILOT METHODS TO REDUCE TRASH DURING MOVE IN AND MOVE OUT SEASON It’s hard to know how much waste from move- in/move-out can be diverted from the trash. By piloting programs, the City can develop best practices for reducing trash. • MassDEP has awarded the City a reuse micro-grant to pilot a move-out waste initiative in May 2025. This grant will fund the collection of goods (i.e. furniture, household goods, etc.) for reuse. This will allow the City to evaluate the amount of demand for diverting good-quality items during move-out periods. • The Recycling Center accepts some items residents dispose of during moving seasons. However, space at the Center is limited and not all residents can access it. The City will consider piloting a mobile Recycle Center (see Strategy #5). Also, the City will identify other partners that can help divert move-out waste. • In large buildings not served by the DPW, private waste haulers may charge extra for bulky waste items like furniture. Using city services can avoid these charges, saving residents money. 3. SUPPORT AND PROMOTE EXISTING PROGRAMS • Continue to support Free Stores organized by the Recycling Advisory Committee (RAC). • Continue to encourage residents to use online exchanges such as the five Buy Nothing Cambridge Facebook groups, which currently have 17,000 members.

CAMBRIDGE ZERO WASTE MASTER PLAN 28 | ZWMP 2.0 STRATEGIES Caption: August 2024 Free Store Organized by the Recycling Advisory Committee

CAMBRIDGE ZERO WASTE MASTER PLAN Short-Term Plan of Action 1. PROPOSE ORDINANCE CHANGES TO REDUCE WASTE • Adopt an ordinance to require that food establishments ask customers to specifically request (that is, opt in to) single-use items such as napkins, utensils, and straws, rather than expecting them to opt out. 7 https://library.municode.com/ma/cambridge/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT8HESA_CH8.68BRYOOWBA 8 https://apnews.com/article/california-plastic-bag-ban-406dedf02b416ad2bb302f498c3bce58 29 | ZWMP 2.0 STRATEGIES STRATEGY #4: REDUCE WASTE FROM RETAIL & FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS Background During stakeholder input, the City fielded a significant number of suggestions regarding reducing single-use or non-recyclable waste from retail and food establishments. For example, more than 100 residents said the City should require customers to opt-in for single- use items (utensils, napkins, straws, etc.), rather than opting out. There are a number of ways that single-use products could be reduced. Both customers and business owners expressed an interest in reducing these single- use items. • Update the Bring Your Own Bag (BYOB) Ordinance. The BYOB Ordinance7 required retailers to no longer offer thin plastic bags. Thick (3 mils or more) plastic bags were permitted under the theory that customers would reuse those bags. However, it appears that many do not reuse those bags and as a result, more single-use plastic is being consumed. A study from the State of California studied the change in plastic bag waste in the trash between 2004 and 2021.8 Under their bag law (passed in 2014) thick plastic bags were permitted. In the study, the weight of plastic shopping bags in the trash increased from 8 to 11 pounds per person per year from 2004 to 2021. To reduce single-use and hard-to-recycle plastic bags, it is recommended that the Ordinance is amended to require retailers to only offer paper bags or compostable plastic bags. Customers should continue to be encouraged to bring their own bags. 2. CONSIDER OTHER ORDINANCE CHANGES TO REDUCE WASTE • Consider an update to the Polystyrene Ordinance. Polystyrene is a type of plastic that is not recyclable in Cambridge's system. Currently, the Polystyrene Ordinance prohibits the dispensing of food and beverage in polystyrene containers.

CAMBRIDGE ZERO WASTE MASTER PLAN 30 | ZWMP 2.0 STRATEGIES 4. SUPPORT A CULTURE OF REUSE Building a culture around reduce & reuse can allow the City to find efficient paths for diverting additional materials. With less material to recycle or dispose of, the City can redirect its efforts at education, outreach, and services towards the materials that remain. • Facilitate a pilot program for businesses to adopt reusable take-out containers (i.e Recirclables). • Introduce a recognition program to highlight outstanding efforts by businesses. Those that make significant strides toward the City's zero waste goals could receive a "Zero Waste Business" sticker as a symbol of their commitment and be nominated for a prestigious "Zero Waste Business of the Year" award. To further reduce single-use and hard- to-recycle plastics, it is recommended to update the Ordinance to prohibit the sale of polystyrene items at retail establishments. Examples of items that would no longer be sold by retail establishments include: single-use foam coolers, foam cups, and some rigid plastic cups and serviceware made of polystyrene. • Consider a plan to prohibit the sale of miniature liquor bottles (100 mL or less). The cities/towns of Chelsea, Newton and Brookline, MA have prohibited the sale of miniature liquor bottles for public health purposes, litter reduction, and because the bottles are not recyclable. Miniature liquor bottles (100 mL or less) are too small to be captured by most recycling processing facilities including the facility that Cambridge uses. As a result they are trashed. Furthermore, miniature liquor bottles are a common source of litter on streets and waterways. • The The City City will work with will work with RecyclingWorks, a RecyclingWorks, a state state-funded -funded waste reduction waste reduction program, to program, to off offer er free technical free technical assistance t assistance to o businesses businesses in in Cambridge Cambridge so so they can they can reduce reduce waste waste whil while e bei being ng mindful mindful of of costs costs on the on the businesses businesses. If technical assistance is . If technical assistance is effective to increase use of reusable effective to increase use of reusable serviceware on site, the City will explore serviceware on site, the City will explore requiring reusable serviceware at food requiring reusable serviceware at food service establishments of a certain size. service establishments of a certain size. 3. PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO REDUCE WASTE & SINGLE-USE ITEMS • Some single-use items are less desirable than others. For example, black plastic take-out items are not accepted in recycling. The City can help businesses identify better alternatives.

CAMBRIDGE ZERO WASTE MASTER PLAN Case Study: The Environmental Impact of Take- Out Containers During the stakeholder input process, many residents suggested requiring businesses to switch to compostable serviceware. However, environmental lifecycle analyses show that it’s not that simple. For example, in Oregon9 and Colorado,10 managers of composting facilities have asked consumers to not include compostable serviceware in their compost streams, as they are difficult to compost. The environmental impact of a product is more complex than its ability to be recycled or composted; it includes upstream impacts like extraction, production, and transportation as well as downstream impacts like disposal, recycling, landfill, and digestion. The United Nations Lifecycle Institute conducted a meta- analysis of environmental lifecycle assessments for take-out materials to try to identify optimal single-use products.11 The study concluded that there are no clear winners between plastic, paper, and aluminum packaging. Therefore, ZWMP 2.0 does not recommend banning any particular material in favor of another because no material is a clear environmental win every time. What is a winner? Reduce & reuse are every time! The best policy of all is to simply not use a single-use item in the first place. Case Study: RecyclingWorks Reusable Takeout Containers Guidance 12 RecyclingWorks in Massachusetts has developed comprehensive guidance to help food establishments transition to reusable takeout containers. Recognizing the growing environmental impact of single-use packaging, the initiative provides businesses with resources and strategies to adopt sustainable practices. The guidance includes steps for selecting reusable containers, implementing cleaning and sanitizing protocols, and managing customer engagement. By emphasizing operational efficiency and compliance with health regulations, RecyclingWorks empowers establishments to make the shift while maintaining high standards of service. The program also highlights successful case studies from MA businesses that have adopted reusable container systems, demonstrating the financial and environmental benefits. For example, establishments using deposit-based models to encourage container returns have reported reductions in waste generation and disposal costs. RecyclingWorks supports businesses by offering free technical assistance, workshops, and online resources, ensuring that the transition is accessible and effective. 9 https://www.oregonmetro.gov/tools-working/guide-recycling-and-waste-reduction-work/guide-choosing-single-use-service-ware 10 https://www.wastedive.com/news/colorado-compost-contamination-materials-organics/643855/ 11 https://www.lifecycleinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Take-Away-food-containers_REPORT_LR.pdf 12 https://recyclingworksma.com/reusable-containers-guidance/ 31 | ZWMP 2.0 STRATEGIES

CAMBRIDGE ZERO WASTE MASTER PLAN 32 | ZWMP 2.0 STRATEGIES Short-Term STRATEGY #5: IMPROVE ACCESSIBILITY TO THE RECYCLE CENTER Background In ZWMP 1.0, one of the medium-term goals was to investigate increasing access to the City’s Recycling Center. As ZWMP 2.0 was developed, the need for an improved center became apparent. During the stakeholder phase, a few dozen residents, as well as members of the RAC said they want to see more open hours for the Center, along with more convenient locations where residents can leave divertible materials. As the Waste Characterization Study found, approximately 10% of residential trash could be diverted through the programs the Center offers. 13 Universal waste generally refers to batteries, mercury-containing items such as fluorescent lights or thermostats. Plan of Action 1. IMPROVE THE RECYCLING CENTER AT DPW FOR EASIER ACCESS AND USE • Move the Recycling Center from the back of the DPW yard to an area closer to the front and make infrastructure improvements such as improved lighting and a new universal waste13 shed. • The City will pilot a mobile Recycle Center with a focus on maximizing diversion and capturing waste, likely during the moving season in 2026. • Improving access to the Recycle Center is also important for achieving safety goals. Lithium-Ion (Li-ion) batteries are increasingly being disposed of improperly, leading to fires in waste management vehicles and facilities. These batteries can be safely disposed of at the Recycle Center.

CAMBRIDGE ZERO WASTE MASTER PLAN 33 | ZWMP 2.0 STRATEGIES Medium-Term STRATEGY #6: ENFORCE FOOD WASTE DIVERSION REQUIREMENT Background After seven years of citywide food waste collection, about 29% of the residential trash collected in Cambridge is still food and organic waste. This segment of the waste stream must be diverted if the City is to meet its zero waste goals (see Strategy #1). Plan of Action 1. ENFORCE MANDATORY FOOD WASTE DIVERSION For the first two years the focus will be on implementing the requirement to divert food waste through education and encouragement. The City will then shift efforts to enforcement. This phased approach recognizes that residents and businesses may need time to adapt to the new requirements. Case Study: Minneapolis, Minnesota In 2020, Hennepin County, MN enacted requirements for businesses to recycle their food waste. These regulations applied to all businesses that generate large quantities of food waste including 17 different sectors (e.g., 14 https://www.seattle.gov/utilities/your-services/collection-and-disposal/food-and-yard/food-waste-requirements restaurants, hotels, etc.) that generate at least a ton of waste a week, or contract for 8 cubic yards or more of trash service per week. These large generators are required to contract with a food waste recycler and must use back-of-house food waste containers for separation. Case Study: Seattle, Washington Seattle initiated its mandatory food waste separation program in 2015. The policy requires residents and businesses to separate food scraps, yard waste, and compostables from regular trash.14 To encourage compliance, Seattle offers robust curbside composting, provides green bins, and educates residents on proper sorting practices. To enforce the mandate, the City imposes fines for non-compliance but initially focuses on education. Inspectors check bins for improperly disposed compostables, issuing warnings before penalties. This approach fosters behavior change and community participation. Seattle’s program has become an impressive model: more than 60% of its food waste is diverted from landfills. By making it easy, and by educating and enforcing, Seattle has shown that food waste mandates can be effective, can reduce environmental impacts, and can raise awareness of the role diversion plays in combating climate change.

CAMBRIDGE ZERO WASTE MASTER PLAN Medium-Term STRATEGY #7: EVALUATE HYBRID PAY-AS-YOU-THROW (PAYT) Background After focusing on current diversion programs, the City will evaluate the remaining trash stream and determine how waste can be further reduced, including evaluating a Pay-As- You-Throw (PAYT) program. Currently, more than 100 communities in Massachusetts have adopted PAYT programs to encourage waste reduction, and increased recycling and composting. Implementing PAYT sends important economic signals to residents that trash disposal is the least desirable approach to waste management. Plan of Action 1. RESEARCH AND ANALYZE HYBRID PAY-AS-YOU-THROW OPTIONS To determine the impact and feasibility of implementing a PAYT program in Cambridge, the City will conduct a comprehensive financial and environmental cost-benefit analysis. Based on the findings, the City could develop an ordinance to establish a PAYT program. It could include a standard cart size for all residents, with additional costs applied for extra carts per property or address, promoting fairness and providing incentives to reduce waste. 34 | ZWMP 2.0 STRATEGIES Medium-Term STRATEGY #8: PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO THE COMMERCIAL SECTOR Background Commercial waste represents more than 80% of Cambridge’s trash stream. It is critical to engage with large commercial generators and establish goals for them to reduce and divert trash. The City will offer enhanced technical assistance to help businesses find the best path towards reducing trash. Plan of Action 1. ESTABLISH GOALS FOR REDUCTION AND DIVERSION WITHIN THE COMMERCIAL AND INSTITUTIONAL SECTORS Currently, no citywide goal for waste diversion exists outside of the residential sector. To address this gap, the City plans to gather data from large properties (Strategy #1) and establish clear, measurable, and achievable diversion goals for the commercial and institutional sectors before the development of ZWMP 3.0.

CAMBRIDGE ZERO WASTE MASTER PLAN 35 | ZWMP 2.0 STRATEGIES 2. ENGAGE WITH THE LARGEST COMMERCIAL GENERATORS Engaging with the largest commercial waste generators is a crucial step toward reducing trash and encouraging everyone to adopt reusable materials. The City will identify these key stakeholders and invite them to participate in dedicated workshops to share challenges, successes, and innovative ideas for waste reduction. By fostering collaboration and providing practical strategies, the City can encourage these entities to take meaningful action to support broader sustainability goals and reduce overall waste output.

CAMBRIDGE ZERO WASTE MASTER PLAN Long-Term STRATEGY #9: FOSTER A “REDUCE & REUSE” CULTURE IN THE COMMERCIAL SECTOR Background The City can drive collaboration and innovation in the commercial sector by bringing multiple stakeholders together. One highly effective tool used in other large communities (i.e. San Francisco, New York City) are online reuse marketplaces. Fostering the culture for diverting waste and conserving resources is something the City can lead on. By partnering with existing regional and state-level programs, the city can make these platforms more visible and accessible, ensuring that a wide range of businesses can participate. Plan of Action 1. SUPPORT ONLINE REUSE MARKETPLACES FOR BUSINESSES The City will support state and/or regional online marketplace systems that share resources for the commercial sector. These resources aim to be one-stop platforms for a “buy-sell-trade” model to keep reusable materials out of landfills, and reduce costs for businesses. This may apply to office furniture, appliances, excess pallets, etc. Such platforms streamline the process of finding and exchanging reusable goods: a business with surplus office furniture can connect with another company in need, while 15 https://tgedevens.com/ 36 | ZWMP 2.0 STRATEGIES manufacturers can offer excess materials to local contractors. These exchanges contribute to a circular economy by keeping items in use longer. They reduce the environmental impact associated with production, transportation, and disposal while helping businesses save money and promote sustainability. Educational initiatives will highlight these platforms' benefits and ease of use. Over time, this approach can drive a cultural shift toward a circular, more waste-conscious business environment, reducing waste and supporting long-term sustainable practices. Case Study: Online Reuse Platforms in Massachusetts Massachusetts offers several online platforms to facilitate the reuse of materials among businesses, aiming to divert usable items from landfills and promote a circular economy: The Great Exchange: Operated by the Devens Eco- Efficiency Center, this program engages with numerous municipal, nonprofit, commercial, and industrial entities throughout Massachusetts. It facilitates the repurposing of idle resources such as office supplies, furniture, and fixtures, diverting approximately 50,000 pounds of materials from landfills annually.15 MIT: The institute partners with Rheaply, an online platform that assists with sharing resources across a campus or community. The Rheaply marketplace allows MIT users to identify available resources for reuse across different departments on campus. MIT community members can list surplus equipment and offer it to the community, and post requests for specific equipment or supplies.

CAMBRIDGE ZERO WASTE MASTER PLAN Long-Term STRATEGY #10: LEAD BY EXAMPLE AND REVISIT POLICIES Background Cities aiming to advance a sustainable future increasingly focus on initiatives that promote resource conservation and waste reduction, prioritizing the lifecycle environmental impact of products, and not just the downstream impacts. The City will lead by example to foster a circular economy that minimizes waste and maximizes resource reuse. Additionally, deconstruction ordinances can facilitate the recovery of valuable materials from construction and demolition. Plan of Action 1. LEAD BY EXAMPLE TO FOSTER A CIRCULAR ECONOMY As mentioned briefly in Strategy #4, the consumption of goods has upstream and downstream impacts. Much of this plan focuses on the downstream end-of-life of items. It is also important to think broadly about waste and resource conservation overall. To advance the circular economy, the City will consider implementing policies that foster repair, sharing, resale, and remanufacturing to maximize asset use. Furthermore, there may be opportunities to collaborate with the Economic Opportunity & Development Division to support local businesses. 16 https://bouldercolorado.gov/services/sustainable-deconstruction-requirements 37 | ZWMP 2.0 STRATEGIES 2. RESEARCH DECONSTRUCTION AS A MEANS TO RECOVER VALUABLE CONSTRUCTION AND DEMOLITION MATERIALS Deconstruction can be successful if there is market for the recovered materials, either for new construction or for the historical value the components bring. Deconstruction requirements often include a threshold for the year of original construction, since newer construction materials are less valuable (lower quality) than the older ones. Case Study: Boulder, Colorado In July 2020, Boulder, Colorado enacted Ordinance 8366, mandating that all full-structure removals and major remodeling projects divert at least 75% of deconstruction materials by weight from landfills.16 This includes materials such as concrete and asphalt, with a requirement to divert a minimum of three distinct material types (e.g., glass, metal, structural wood, electronics). Additionally, applicants must submit a Sustainable Deconstruction Plan prior to obtaining a demolition permit, pay a refundable deconstruction deposit of $1 per square foot (min. $1,500), and a non-refundable administrative fee. A notable application of this ordinance was the deconstruction of the former Boulder Community Health Hospital. Through planning and execution, the project achieved a 93.5% diversion rate, with over 60.8 million pounds of materials either reused or recycled. Salvaged materials, including steel beams, were repurposed into new city structures, such as a fire station.

CAMBRIDGE ZERO WASTE MASTER PLAN 38 | ZWMP 2.0 STRATEGIES ONGOING STRATEGIES To maximize the impact of ZWMP 2.0, the City will continue to support ongoing strategies to maintain a strong backbone for its zero waste initiatives. These ongoing strategies complement the short, medium, and long-term strategies and are just as important. ONGOING STRATEGIES PRIMARY TOPICS Strategy #11: Host educational events and workshops on reduce & reuse topics. • Work with local organizations and residents to provide events and workshops related to zero waste, composting, clothing repair workshops, Fix-It Clinics, etc. Strategy #12: Conduct waste composition studies every three years. • Determine which portions of the waste stream should be targeted for recycling or reduction and to evaluate the current program’s success. Strategy #14: Collaborate with recycling facilities to determine if new materials can be diverted or reused from the current trash stream. • Evaluate new diversion programs for poly-coated paper packaging (e.g., paper cups, cartons, etc.), aseptic packaging, and other potentially divertible streams. • Collaborate with local vendors on new materials that have the potential to be recycled using alternative approaches. Examples are lab plastics, chopsticks, compostable paper and plastic items, and other items not currently accepted in single-stream recycling or compost programs. Strategy #13: Collaborate with local and statewide initiatives to ensure the City is working in concert with the region. • Advocate for Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) at the state level with other municipalities.

CAMBRIDGE ZERO WASTE MASTER PLAN Strategy #15: Facilitate community-based programs to complement the City’s efforts. • The Recycling Advisory Committee (RAC) is an integral part of the City’s outreach efforts and continued emphasis will be placed on their role in effective outreach, and the role of the general public in contributing to outreach efforts. • Regularly collaborate with the resident stakeholders to evaluate the impact of educational and communication plans around zero waste. Strategy #16: Continue to expand zero waste efforts with public school students and staff. • Utilize annual training for school custodians and staff. Meet with the Facilities Director annually to review procedures and pursue more waste reduction opportunities as they arise. Strategy #17: Increase access to waste diversion programs to residents that are less familiar with the programs and provide information in multiple languages. Most residents have a strong grasp of how to recycle. As the City’s waste programs expand to include hard-to-recycle materials such as electronics, textiles, and metal, it’s important to educate residents and property managers on how to use these programs. • Offer recycling training in different languages and/or provide interpreters. • Develop material with more visuals and fewer words to ensure that information is accessible. Strategy #18: Remain nimble and adjust plans as needed. As strategies are rolled out and the waste landscape shifts, the City must remain flexible in considering new ideas that may arise. 39 | ZWMP 2.0 STRATEGIES

CAMBRIDGE ZERO WASTE MASTER PLAN 40 | CONCLUSION CONCLUSION/SMART Goals The strategies outlined in this plan represent the best opportunities for the City to achieve its waste reduction goals, while continuing to support the community. If implementation of the strategies goes as planned, Figure 8 shows a projection of Cambridge’s residential waste generation by stream (food waste, yard waste, other diversion, recycling, and trash) through 2050. The projection makes assumptions about the waste generation impacts of each strategy outlined above and assumes that Cambridge’s population will grow by an average of 1% per year. This projected analysis shows that Cambridge will reach its goal of 50% reduction of trash by 2030. With the strategies laid out in this plan, the City is also projected to achieve 65% reduction of trash by 2045. In upcoming versions of the ZWMP, the City will need to implement additional strategies to more aggressively reduce trash to reach the goal of 80% reduction by 2050. The City will continue to track waste generation over time, periodically revising the projections to be more accurate and incorporate additional strategies in ZWMP 3.0 (2030). Figure 8: Projection of trash generation through 2045. 22.8 14.8 11.4 10 9 8 0 5 10 15 20 25 2008 2015 2020 2025 (proj) 2030 (proj) 2035 (proj) 2040 (proj) 2045 (proj) Trash (lbs/household/week) Calendar Year Current & Projected Trash Generation

CAMBRIDGE ZERO WASTE MASTER PLAN 41 | CONCLUSION NEXT STEPS • The City will continue to measure the effectiveness of the 18 strategies and adapting to changes in the zero waste landscape as they arise. • The City will re-evaluate strategies and the 2050 Zero Waste goal in 2030 with a ZWMP 3.0. • ZWMP 3.0 will be informed by a fuller understanding of the City’s commercial and institutional sectors, and establish goals for those sectors. SMART Goals To reach our 2030 and 2050 trash reduction goals, intermediate SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) goals are a useful tool to track progress. Over the next 3 years, the City has set these SMART Goals: • Strategy #1: Require annual Zero Waste Plans for large residential and commercial buildings o By end of 2026: Goal is to have 50% of properties in compliance with reporting of Zero Waste Plans. o By end of 2027: Goal is to have 70% of properties in compliance with reporting of Zero Waste Plans. o By end of 2028: Goal is to have 90% of properties in compliance with reporting of Zero Waste Plans. • Strategy #2: Require food waste diversion for residential and commercial buildings o By end of 2026: DPW food waste collection program to collect more than 10 tons per day & 50% of commercial buildings will have curbside food waste collection o By end of 2027: DPW food waste collection program to collect more than 11 tons per day & 70% of commercial buildings will have curbside food waste collection o By end of 2028: DPW food waste collection program to collect more than 11.5 tons per day & 90% of commercial buildings will have curbside food waste collection • Overall residential trash reduction goals: o Reach 14 lbs/household/week trash by end of 2026 o Reach 13.4 lbs/household/week trash by end of 2027 o Reach 12.6 lbs/household/week trash by end of 2028

CAMBRIDGE ZERO WASTE MASTER PLAN 42 | APPENDICES APPENDICES APPENDIX A: STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT METHODS AND OUTCOMES For full Appendix A, please visit: www.cambridgema.gov/ZWMP The City gathered information from Cambridge residents through a public event in June 2024 at the King Open School and an online survey with identical questions. Participants answered multiple- choice and open-ended questions, identifying their housing type: 1–2 unit (red), 3–12 unit (green), or 13+ unit (yellow). At the event, attendees placed color-coded dots on multiple-choice answers and provided written feedback at topic tables. The online survey, promoted via the City’s newsletter and website, received over 700 responses, while approximately 100 households were represented in person. Of the respondents, 371 lived in 1- to 2-unit buildings, 225 in 3- to 12-unit buildings, and 128 in buildings of 13+ units. 376 329 62 156 80 83 58127148 57 174127 35 48 337 235 216 42 98 38 70 29 82 89 47 125 74 33 162 53 125 78 15 44 35 45 15 39 50 38 59 43 2 30 92 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 Easy Medium Hard N/A Easy Medium Hard N/A Easy Medium Hard N/A Easy Medium Hard N/A Easy Medium Hard N/A Easy Medium Hard N/A Curbside Compost Recycle Center Household Hazardous Waste Textile Program Yard Waste Total Responses How easy or difficult is it to use the following programs? 1-2 Unit Building 3-12 Unit Building Curbside Recycling

CAMBRIDGE ZERO WASTE MASTER PLAN APPENDIX B: ORDINANCE EXAMPLES FROM OTHER MUNICIPALITIES For full Appendix B, please visit: www.cambridgema.gov/ZWMP. New Construction: Space for Recycling and Organics Collection Cities like Fort Collins, CO and Santa Ana, CA already mandate space for recycling and organics in multi- family and commercial buildings, ensuring compliance with local green codes. Property Manager Recycling/Solid Waste Plans Cities such as Alexandria, VA, Arlington, VA, Austin, TX, and Montgomery County, MD require property managers to submit annual recycling plans, often with reporting tools, education, and compliance incentives. Construction and Demolition Waste Portland, OR leads in deconstruction ordinances, supported by community engagement and material reuse infrastructure. Milwaukee, WI has passed but not yet implemented a similar policy. Mixed C&D diversion relies on cost-effective processing, transportation, and markets, with incentives or penalties supporting landfill alternatives. Single-Use Products “Upon Request” Outside of Massachusetts, there are many other municipalities that have implemented opt-in policies for single use products. The City of Berkeley, CA has an ordinance that requires businesses offering takeout to charge $0.25 for disposable cups and provide disposable accessory items (e.g., straws, napkins, utensils) only upon request. Mandatory Food Waste Separation Seattle, WA, Austin, TX, and Boulder, CO, have all implemented mandatory food diversion. City of Toronto In 2002, Toronto started its Green Bin program, which accepts food waste collected in plastic bags, an 85% participation rate. Toronto made the conscious decision to allow conventional plastic bag liners for collection of food waste. Residents and businesses are instructed to use any plastic bag to line their container, noting that no special plastic or biodegradable bag is needed. The City explains that 98-99% of plastic is removed during the pre-processing step and the compost meets provincial standards for AA compost, suitable for home application. The City received some questions from residents during the first year or two following the allowance of any bag, however, now residents are quite familiar with program features. 43 | APPENDICES

CAMBRIDGE ZERO WASTE MASTER PLAN Appendix C: Other Cambridge Waste Studies Residential Waste Characterization Study (2022) For full study, please visit: www.cambridgema.gov/ZWMP The City partnered with CDM Smith and VHB to conduct a comprehensive characterization study of residential trash. Using representative samples that DPW collected on October 24 and 27, 2022, VHB performed waste audits at Casella Waste Systems’ Charlestown facility in Boston, following protocols outlined in the study. Source: VHB, 2022 Citywide Trash Generation Study: For full study, please visit: www.cambridgema.gov/ZWMP Approximately 65% of residential trash is collected through municipal curbside programs, while the remaining 35% is handled by private haulers contracted by larger multi-family complexes. Commercial trash collection is entirely managed by private haulers. Cambridge DPW provides detailed records on municipal curbside waste tonnage, including data from mixed waste sources like street cleaning and catch basin debris, which totaled 14,380 tons in 2019. However, raw trash data from private haulers was unavailable and estimated for this inventory. Labor force and unemployment data for Cambridge in 2019 were also referenced for contextual analysis. Combining the private haul trash collection estimates for commercial properties and large multi-family housing developments, total waste collected by private haulers in 2019 was determined to be 133,219 tons. 44 | APPENDICES