City adopts updated Zero Waste master plan, sets medium‑term targets and new commercial requirements

The Cambridge City Council placed the city’s updated Zero Waste Master Plan on file June 9 after several committee hearings and extensive stakeholder engagement. The plan updates the city’s waste‑reduction strategy, emphasizes commercial waste (which the plan estimates makes up the bulk of citywide tonnage), and sets concrete near‑term goals for program expansion.

Councilor Patty Nolan, who led the council’s review, described the plan as “a big step forward” that balances ambition with a staged approach to implementation. Nolan said the update reflects extensive community and technical input and recommended ordinance changes that will be forwarded for committee review.

Key elements include a short‑term focus (1–3 years) on requiring building‑level zero‑waste plans for larger residential and commercial properties, expanding curbside food‑waste collection citywide, and piloting move‑out waste programs to prevent bulk material from appearing at curbs. The plan also says the city will evaluate pay‑as‑you‑throw models in the medium term, while noting significant implementation considerations and equity risks.

Michael Orr, director of recycling and zero waste programs, told the council the city’s baseline differs from statewide averages because Cambridge already has curbside composting and robust recycling; targets were set to be ambitious yet achievable given that baseline. “Our goals don’t always align with the state’s because we start from a different baseline,” Orr said, explaining why Cambridge’s targets and timelines differ from some state proposals.

The council voted to place the plan on file and directed staff to proceed with ordinance changes and implementation steps outlined in the document. Staff said they will return with ordinance language and implementation timelines, and that the city will monitor progress and publish another master‑plan update in 2030 to set the next decade’s goals.