Business District Info

• Eliminate trash bags on sidewalks in Squares and business districts
• Improve access to recycling for all businesses in our Squares
• Require trash haulers to also provide recycling services
• Transition businesses in Squares and business districts to private collection service
• Support this transition and assist with questions/concerns

• Haines Square Meeting: August 27 at 3 p.m.
• West Medford Square Meeting: August 28 at 3 p.m.
• Hillside Meeting: August 29 at 3 p.m.
• South Medford Square Meeting: September 4 at 3 p.m.
• Medford Square Meeting: September 5 at 3 p.m.
• Makeup Meeting: September 10 at 3 p.m.

Fill out this form from RecyclingWorks and schedule your on-site waste assessment to help reduce the amount of waste your business produces. 

Improving the Cleanliness of our Squares Initiative

What is the Improving the Cleanliness of our Squares Initiative?

• The City of Medford is transitioning to a new waste and recycling system that will help clean up sidewalks and streets and make the Squares more inviting to the community. The transition to this new system coincides with the City’s new collection contract with WM, which started on July 1, 2024. This transition will take place now through May 2025.

 

Which Medford Squares are being targeted by the initiative and why?

• Medford Square, West Medford Square, Hillside, South Medford Square, and Haines Square. Those five Squares currently receive weekly trash collection of bagged trash under the City’s collection contract with WM. 

 

What are the goals of the initiative?

• The City of Medford has multiple goals for cleaner squares:

  • Clean up sidewalks and streets and make the Squares more inviting to the community

  • Eliminate trash bags on sidewalks in Squares through containerization

  • Increase recycling and composting and reduce the volume of trash in the Squares

  • Transition businesses in Squares to private collection service

  • Support this transition and assist with questions/concerns

 

What does this transition mean for your business’s waste operations?

• To improve the cleanliness of our Squares we want to get bags off of sidewalks and into containers for collection. Containers include rolling carts and larger dumpsters. It’s what we call “containerization.” Figuring out what container solution will work for each business is a key part of the transition and will be supported with technical assistance through RecyclingWorks. Many communities on the East Coast are heading in this direction to reduce problems associated with rats and litter. Most notably, New York City recently implemented a requirement that all businesses in the City containerize all trash starting March 1, 2024.

 

What is containerization?

• Containerization means putting all the trash that is currently collected in plastic bags instead into carts or larger dumpsters for collection. Containerization may look different from one property to another and one business to another. Appropriately sized carts might work for some small businesses. Large shared dumpsters might work for properties with multiple tenants and outside space for dumpsters. This document shows some sample container sizes. There is not necessarily a standard size and each hauler will have its own styles and types available. However, the samples give a sense of the space that would be required for placement and storage. The containers would likely be provided by the hauler that the businesses/properties select to provide collection service.

 

What is technical assistance?

• RecyclingWorks will provide technical assistance for this transition in MA with funding from MassDEP. RecyclingWorks will help businesses:
  • Evaluate existing types and volume of waste streams
  • Review service options for trash, recycling, and compost
  • Set up better ways to prepare materials for separate collection
  • Implement new services

 

How can I get technical assistance for my business or property?

• Contact Heather Billings at RecyclingWorks to schedule your one-on-one consultation.
• Click the link to sign up
• Email heather.billings@cetonline.org
• Call or text 508-479-3713

 

Why do Squares need to transition to using containers for trash? Isn’t the bag system working fine?

• The containerized collection will eliminate trash bags on sidewalks and create a cleaner, more efficient system with access to recycling for all Square businesses. The current trash bag collection system attracts rats and contributes to litter. Transitioning to containers will address these nuisances for the benefit of all.

 

Do businesses in the Squares need to pay for their own trash service now?

• As part of the City’s effort to ensure fairness and transparency, all Medford businesses will eventually bear the cost of their own collection services. This means additional expenses for Squares businesses that previously received services without receiving a bill. The City is committed to a smooth transition–a “soft landing”–by helping identify efficient and cost-effective collection solutions. One concrete step in the transition is the shift to City-approved overflow bags for trash collection, which will begin January 1, 2025. Businesses that continue to set out bagged trash will be required to purchase and use City-approved overflow bags. Non-approved trash bags will not be collected. For containerized collection, the City’s new WM contract includes competitive trash rates and fully-subsidized recycling processing fees to reduce costs. WM is willing to assist businesses with the transition to containerized services. Businesses can choose other licensed haulers, but the City has not discussed this with any other hauler. Garbage to Garden is the City’s composting hauler and offers commercial services with rates for Medford businesses that generate large amounts of food scraps and other compostable materials.

 

How will Improving the Cleanliness of our Squares Initiative be implemented?

• Starting this summer, the City will work directly with businesses in the Squares to review how this new system is intended to work and to help develop specific containerized collection solutions for each commercial property. Meetings will be held for each Square over the summer to help answer questions and provide guidance on the new system. The City has arranged for the help of the RecyclingWorks program of MassDEP to build on the best practices being followed around the state and beyond.

 

Will the Squares have help transitioning to containerization?

• Yes. The City plans to help transition properties to containerized collection before the end of 2024, requiring cooperation of businesses, the City, and RecyclingWorks. The City is also exploring shared containers for trash, recycling, and composting, possibly locating them in public spaces or providing sample agreements for shared service arrangements. Shared dumpsters will range from 0.5 to 4 cubic yards, and will be right-sized based on property needs. Compost service will likely use 64-gallon carts, common for commercial compost collection.

 

Do businesses have to start recycling? If so, what businesses, why, and when?

• Yes. The City of Medford adopted a commercial recycling requirement in place in 1992 with Ordinance No. 568. Page 5, Chapter 39A Section C defines “commercial establishments” and “recipients of solid waste services.” Section D is titled “Mandatory Separation of Acceptable Recyclable Materials.” Section F describes that recyclables must be “separated and prepared.” The revised solid waste ordinance requires trash haulers to also provide recycling to any customer that they service with trash collection. The hauler requirement follows the MassDEP waste disposal regulations to keep recyclable materials out of the trash. That requirement will help businesses all over Medford comply with the recycling mandate. The City will begin enforcing both the commercial recycling requirement and the hauler recycling service requirement starting on May 1, 2025.

 

What items can I recycle?

• You can recycle cardboard, boxboard, newspaper, office paper, metal plastic and glass bottles, cans, jars, and tubs. RecycleSmart guide shows what is accepted. The RecycleSmart Recyclopedia is a database with recycling information on hundreds of items.

 

Does each business need to have both a trash and a recycling container?

• Not necessarily. Recycling will need to be separated from trash and collected separately. That will require separate containers for trash and recycling. Depending on the containerization solution, businesses may separate trash and recycling into their own containers, possibly carts, or into containers shared with their neighbors, possibly carts or dumpsters.

 

Is there a composting requirement?

• There is no composting requirement in the Medford solid waste ordinance. However, MassDEP requires any commercial establishment that generates more than 1/2 ton of food scraps per week to have composting service. RecyclingWorks can help food service businesses in Medford’s Squares determine if this requirement applies to them. The good news is that source separating food scraps for high volume food scraps generators can save money on trash collection costs, reduce problems with rats, and support the City’s climate and sustainability goals.

 

What about overflow bags?

• The new contract aims for fairness and transparency in City-funded services. Businesses outside Medford Squares have always paid for their collection. As of January 1, 2025, only City-approved overflow bags will be collected by WM on the City contracted collection route. This change aims to shift collection costs to businesses in the Squares, eventually eliminating bags in favor of containerization. The City-approved overflow bags are the same bags Medford residents use. Overflow bags are sold in rolls of 5 for $9.99 and each holds up to 33 gallons. The City is committed to finding a retailer in each Square to sell bags to ensure bags are easily accessible for businesses in the Squares. Businesses transitioning to containers before January 1, 2025, will avoid the new requirement to use City-approved overflow bags for trash collection.

How can I learn more?

• Sign up for your Square-specific meeting at: https://www.medfordma.org/squares

 

Where can I find a downloadable version of this FAQ?

• You can find a downloadable version of this FAQ here.

• Recording of Meeting
• Meeting Slides

July 1, 2024: Effective date of revised Solid Waste Ordinance and new City contracts

July 17: Technical assistance begins

Aug 27 – Sept 11: Square Zoom meetings (one per Square + one catch-up)

September: City identifies retailers to sell overflow bags in Squares

Sept – Mar: Technical assistance continues 

Jan 1, 2025: Overflow bag requirement begins

Apr 1, 2025: Revised hauler permits and dumpster permits begin

May 1, 2025: Enforcement of revised Solid Waste Ordinance begins

Download a printable version of the "Improving the Cleanliness of our Squares" Initiative. 

• Haines Square 8/27 Meeting
  • Slide Presentation
• West Medford 8/28 Meeting
  • Slide Presentation
• Hillside 8/29 Meeting
  • Slide Presentation
• South Medford 9/4 Meeting
  • Slide Presentation
• Medford Square 9/5 Meeting
  • Slide Presentation
• General Makeup Meeting 9/10
  • Slide Presentation