The submission of the Zero Waste Master Plan

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. 3 | EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Short-Term Strategies (1-3 Years)

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)

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. 4 | EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Long-Term Strategies (5+ Years)

Strategy #9: Foster a “Reduce & Reuse” Culture in the Commercial

Strategy #10: Lead by example and continually revisit policies and

Ongoing Strategies

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 #17: Increase access to waste diversion programs to residents that are less familiar with the programs and provide information in multiple languages. 5 | TABLE OF CONTENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Executive Summary .......................................................................................................................................................... 2 Table of Contents ..............................................................................................................................................................