Can you recycle plastic bags in Cambridge, MA?

Not in your recycling cart. Bags and film wrap around the sorting equipment at the facility City of Cambridge uses, which is why they're excluded almost everywhere. Take clean, dry bags back to a grocery-store drop-off, or put them in your trash cart.

What do I do with batteries in Cambridge, MA?

Batteries never go in any of your Cambridge, MA carts — not the recycling cart, not the trash cart. They're household hazardous waste and a genuine fire risk in the truck. Tape the terminals and take them to a local e-waste or household-hazardous-waste drop-off.

Recycling rules in Cambridge, MA

📍 City of Cambridge · 3-cart program

Who collects your recycling in Cambridge, MA

Cambridge, MA collects its own residential waste: City of Cambridge operates the carts directly rather than contracting the route to a private hauler. Households get three carts — a recycling cart for recyclables, a compost cart for food scraps and yard trimmings, and a trash cart for everything else.

Curbside food-scrap collection is still the exception nationally, but it's well established in Massachusetts — Cambridge, MA is one of the cities that offers it.

The quick answer for Cambridge, MA

Plastic bottles & jugs	♻️ Recycling cart	Empty; keep the cap on.
Aluminum & steel cans	♻️ Recycling cart	Give them a rinse.
Flattened cardboard	♻️ Recycling cart	Clean, dry sections only.
Glass bottles & jars	♻️ Recycling cart	Lids off.
Food scraps	🌱 Compost cart	Fruit, veg, leftovers, bones.
Greasy pizza box	🌱 Compost cart	A clean box can be recycled instead.
Plastic bags & film	🗑️ Trash cart	Store drop-off is better.
Batteries	⚠️ Hazardous	Never curbside — tape the terminals.

This is the short list. The full A–Z of what is and isn't recyclable is on what can I recycle? — or scan the item and get the answer for Cambridge, MA directly.

📷 Scan an item

Cambridge, MA recycling FAQ

Can you recycle plastic bags in Cambridge, MA?: Not in your recycling cart. Bags and film wrap around the sorting equipment at the facility City of Cambridge uses, which is why they're excluded almost everywhere. Take clean, dry bags back to a grocery-store drop-off, or put them in your trash cart.
What do I do with batteries in Cambridge, MA?: Batteries never go in any of your Cambridge, MA carts — not the recycling cart, not the trash cart. They're household hazardous waste and a genuine fire risk in the truck. Tape the terminals and take them to a local e-waste or household-hazardous-waste drop-off.

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Still not sure?

Rules vary by material and by hauler, and the sorting line is strict — one wrong item can contaminate a whole load. When in doubt, point your camera at the item for a verdict, or check the official City of Cambridge guide.