Waste & Recycling

Mission

Reduce Reuse Recycle

The City of Medford is committed to the diversion of household solid waste from landfills to having these recyclables collected for reuse. Our mission is to keep the residents well educated on what can be recycled, how to sort these items, any changes/additions to the program and to offer the tools to make the process easier by having a curbside program along with by a drop-off site. We offer innovative and exciting ways to recycle, from water conservation with rain barrels (when available) to composting to recycling of cell phones and fluorescent tubes and mercury. Medford’s continued recycling efforts and diverting from the waste stream will benefit the preservation of the environment for future generations in its Single Stream Recycling Program.

Medford Smart Waste Program

Medford is moving toward a Pay As You Throw (PAYT) program for trash collection. The PAYT program will apply to recipients of municipal collection service. Starting July 1, 2027, residential 64-gallon trash carts will be collected every other week by WM alongside 96-gallon recycling carts. Food waste in 12-gallon carts will continue to be collected weekly by Garbage to Garden. Leaves and yard waste will continue to be collected 20 weeks per year by Casella.

Mayor Lungo-Koehn on Waste Changes

Waste Collection Public Meetings

FAQs

Why are we doing this?

The PAYT program is the next step in the modernization of Medford’s municipal collection system, which will:
- Reduce the City’s waste program budget by collecting trash every other week, saving the City over $1 million dollars per year at the same time as trash disposal costs are rising
- Reduce air pollution and wear and tear on roads in our neighborhoods by reducing heavy-duty garbage truck traffic by 1/3, benefiting public health and the City’s street maintenance budget
- Encourage the proper management of what Medford residents throw away through waste reduction, reuse, composting food and yard waste, and recycling
- Clean up our recyclables and trash by removing food waste, which is heavy and wet, ensuring cleaner recycling streams and reducing the cost of trash disposal
- Mitigate rat populations by ensuring food waste is secured in latching carts collected every week rather than left loose in unsecured trash carts, by reducing rat habitat by providing 20 weeks of yard waste collection, and eliminating trash bags in all of the City’s Business Districts
- Help prepare residents for a proposed 2030 statewide food waste disposal ban
- Move the City toward Zero Waste as part of implementing the 2022 Climate Action & Adaptation Plan (CAAP)
Free, weekly food waste collection will be available to all municipal collection service recipients prior to the launch of the PAYT program. Sign up now at: https://medfordcomposts.com/
The PAYT program was discussed in July 2023 with the Medford Committee of the Whole and the City Council at which time the implementation of every-other-week trash collection was described as a future evolution of Medford’s municipal collection program
162 communities in Massachusetts—and more than 9,000 nationwide—have implemented PAYT programs, which is a common name for many different programs designed to create an incentive to reduce residential waste
Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) awarded Medford a $200,000 PAYT grant to purchase organics carts supporting the expansion of the City’s curbside organics collection program in preparation for every-other-week trash collection

What is it going to cost me?

The PAYT program will cost you nothing if you use the basic level of service. Starting July 1, 2027, the basic level of service per household will be:
- One 12-gallon food waste cart collected weekly
- One 64-gallon trash cart collected every other week
- One 96-gallon recycling cart collected every other week, and
- 20 weeks of leaf and yard collection per year
You can go beyond the basic level of service, if necessary, by leasing additional carts and/or purchasing overflow bags:
- $12.43 per additional 64-gallon trash cart per month starting July 1, 2027
- $5.54 per additional 96-gallon recycling cart per month starting July 1, 2027
- $9.99 for five 33-gallon overflow trash bags starting July 1, 2027
- $9.00 per additional 12-gallon food waste cart per month + one-time $22.50 cart fee

What will I do with my trash?

Starting July 1, 2027, you will set out your 64-gallon trash cart every other week on the same collection day as your recycling.
The new baseline for trash service will equate to 32-gallons per household per week, which meets Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) service volume threshold for a PAYT program.
Medford’s PAYT program will build upon the existing 64-gallon trash cart collection system, a feature of the program that is both convenient for residents and fiscally conservative
If you decide you need more volume to manage your trash, you can lease an additional trash cart or purchase overflow bags.

When will the PAYT program start?

The PAYT program starts on July 1, 2027
On your first day of service in July, 2027, your residential 64-gallon trash carts will be collected every other week along with 96-gallon recycling carts. Food waste in 12-gallon carts will continue to be collected weekly by Garbage to Garden.

Will I have the option to get trash collected weekly when PAYT starts?

You will not be able to receive weekly trash collection service under the municipal contract once the PAYT program begins. However, you can increase the volume of your trash collection by leasing additional trash carts and/or purchasing overflow bags.
The financial benefit of Medford’s PAYT program relies upon the collection of trash on an every-other-week schedule.

How can I prepare for the PAYT program?

Reduce wasted food and start composting. Food waste is 21.6% of trash in Massachusetts, by weight, which makes it the single largest category of the state's solid waste stream. Food waste is one of the heaviest items in the trash. Composting food waste directly lowers trash disposal costs, which are also calculated by weight. Sign up for Medford’s residential weekly curbside composting program at: https://medfordcomposts.com/
Make sure you are recycling right. Not sure how? Check out the Smart Recycling Guide for clear instructions in 12 languages.

Learn ways to reduce the amount of materials you need to throw away. Visit the City of Medford Waste and Recycling page for more information.

PAYT Program Timeline

May 2022: Task Force was announced and applications opened
July 2022: Task Force held its first meeting
July 2022: Waste and recycling consultants hired to help with the process of designing a new collection system
September 2022: Task Force released a community survey to gauge the needs of businesses and residents
September 2022: Task Force held public engagement opportunities at the Medford Public Library and the Medford Farmers Market
September 2022: Survey presentation to the City Council
September 7, 2022: Task Force launch meeting
November 29, 2022: Medford Talks Trash workshop
- Presentation
- Summary
July 2023: PAYT program discussed with the City Council
February 15, 2023: Solid Waste RFP presentation to the City Council Committee of the Whole
July 1, 2024: Free curbside composting program began for residents
Fall 2025: MassDEP awarded City $200,000 PAYT grant
November 2025: PAYT program announced
December 15, 2025: Public meeting #1
January 28, 2026: Public meeting #2
July 1, 2027: PAYT program to begin

Related News

Waste System Info

All About Waste and Recycling

What Can Be Recycled?
Business District Waste & Recycling Info
July 2025-June 2026 Waste and Recycling Services Schedule (English)
Street Lists
Recycling Mattresses and box-springs
Textile recycling information
Recycling Beyond the Bin Search
Most Common Contaminants (keep these out of your recycling bin!)
Donating unwanted items

Plastic bags continue to be the number one problem. These bags bind up machinery at the sorting facility, which decreases efficiency, increases costs, and creates a safety risk to workers.

Rain barrel info:

Purchase a rain barrel

Composting info:

Curbside composting program

Bulky Item Pickup

For any bulk item collection, please contact Waste Management at 800-972-4545 to schedule your pick-up. Please then follow their instructions.

Bulky items are any household items that cannot be recycled and will not fit into your trash cart, such as chairs, tables, shelves, etc. The cost for bulky item collection is $15 per item.
Eligible residents must contact WM to schedule and pay for bulky item collection.
Please visit wm.com or call (800) 972-4545 to schedule a pickup.
Bulky items will be collected on your recycling day.
Trash of any kind should not be put out on the sidewalk until the late afternoon or early evening of the day prior to your scheduled pickup. Violations will be subject to a $300 fine.

Bulk items consists of the following:

Furniture: Sofas, chairs (metal & wooden), desks, tables, bookcases, entertainments centers
Bedding: Foot and head board, dressers, mirrors (must be taped to prevent breakage)
Area Rugs: Must be rolled and tied (with twine or duct tape. Wall-to-wall rugs are NOT accepted

The following items CANNOT be taken – these are building/demolition materials and residents must make their own arrangements through a private outfit:

Sinks, toilets, bathtubs, doors, windows, screens, lumber, fencing, play structures, concrete, brick, stones/rocks, wall to wall carpet etc.

For bulk item removal, please consider donating items in usable condition rather than waste. You may contact the following organizations for instructions to schedule a pick-up or locate a drop-off facility.

Vietnam Veterans of America
800-775-VETS (800-775-8387)
https://vva.org/pickup-locations/massachusetts/

Salvation Army
800-SA-TRUCK (800-728-7825)
https://satruck.org/

Big Brothers Big Sisters
Does not accept mattresses or furniture
800-483-5503
https://www.bbbsfoundation.org/

Search for pick up services and drop off locations using the following services:

Donation Town http://www.donationtown.org/

Earth 911 https://earth911.com/

Recycle Search https://recyclesearch.com/

Recycling Works Massachusetts (for Businesses & Institutions) https://recyclingworksma.com/

Find additional information and resources regarding mattress recycling here: https://www.mass.gov/service-details/mattress-recycling

Garbage Pickup Information

The City’s trash + recycling pickup is conducted by Waste Management. To reach them directly: Call 800-972-4545 or visit https://www.wm.com/us

City Trash Compactor

Recycling White Goods, Appliances, & Electronics

Recycling White Goods, Appliances, and Electronics

Recycle white goods, appliances, metal items, lawn mowers, snow blowers, and exercise equipment for $26.91 per item. Recycle televisions and monitors for $41.40 per item.

Eligible residents must contact WM to schedule & pay for bulky item collections.
Please visit wm.com or call (800) 972-4545 to schedule a pickup.
These items will only be picked up on Tuesdays.

Paint Disposal Tips

Recycling Drop-Off Hours
Parking lot at DPW:
21 James St.

Hours:
Monday: 7 – 3:30
Tuesday: 7 – 3:30
Wednesday: 7 – 3:30
Thursday: 7 – 3:30
Friday: 7 – 3:30
Saturday: 7 – 3:30

*The recycling dumpster is emptied on Wednesday mornings.

Phone: 781-393-2418
Fax: 781-393-2422

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