Cities in Massachusetts are spending more and more to dispose of our trash, and the large amounts of waste are negatively impacting the environment. At 10 million dollars, waste management represents the largest portion of Medford's DPW budget. Every other week trash saves the city money, allowing funds to be used for other important programs while nudging residents towards increased recycling and composting. The City of Medford, Massachusetts has spent several years devising a waste reduction plan in order to address astronomically rising waste management costs and meet the goals laid out in the city's Climate Action and Adaptation Plan. We support the Smarter Waste System's goal of reducing waste and costs. 

From 2022-23, a Solid Waste Task Force met to devise strategies for the future of the city's waste management operations. Eight residents along with City Councilor Kit Collins worked with waste and recycling consultants, conducted a survey, and held public outreach events. In July 2023, details of a hybrid Pay As You Throw (PAYT) program were presented to the City Council, which subsequently voted to give Mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn the authority to enter into a ten-year waste contract.

The program as planned includes free biweekly trash pickup of residents' 64-gallon trash bins, the opportunity to purchase extra bags or bins at nominal fees, increased yard waste pickups, lower costs for extra recycling bins, and free curbside composting, which began in July 2024. With 46 percent of eligible households participating, the highly successful composting program is well on its way to meeting planned benchmarks and stands as a model for other municipalities.

Cities like Tacoma, Washington and Portland, Oregon have successfully implemented biweekly trash pickup for years. Maynard, Massachusetts is currently in the process of implementing a biweekly trash pickup option. Maynard is also one of the more than 160 communities in the state with a PAYT program. PAYT programs have proven highly effective at trash reduction, with the average PAYT household tossing more than 500 pounds less trash a year than non PAYT households.

- Rising costs mean Medford cannot sustain our current system of trash pickup indefinitely without either raising taxes or cutting funds to other programs

- Medford's Smarter Waste System centers trash reduction, with the added benefit of cost reduction to the tune of a million plus dollars a year

- Trash reduction improves public health by helping the rat problem, and reducing air and water pollution from landfills and incinerators

- MA has proposed a 2030 statewide food waste disposal ban - the Smarter Waste System, which includes free curbside composting (available now in Medford), puts Medford ahead of the game

- A Smarter Waste System is a vital step in achieving the goals in Medford's Climate Action and Adaptation Plan

We are calling on Mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn to stay the course and implement trash reduction measures in July 2027

- Whether it's as currently outlined or with details tweaked, move forward with trash reduction measures that include universal free curbside composting and a PAYT program

- Conduct a public health impact review to assess the effects of composting and trash reduction on rat and other public health issues

- Seek ways to prepare residents for the change, like conducting workshops on composting and trash reduction strategies

Sign this petition to urge Mayor Lungo-Koehn to implement the Smarter Waste System with or without modifications in July 2027 as planned!