Cambridge, MA Trash Pickup Schedule
Collection days, holiday changes, recycling rules, and drop-off options for Cambridge, Massachusetts — in one page, with sources.
Trash pickup in Cambridge, MA is assigned by zone or street — Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday. Match your area in the trash schedule table below.
Trash Recycle Yard
When is each service collected?
Recurring schedule for Cambridge services.
| Service | When | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Trash | Depends on your zone | Depends on your zone — check the zone list |
| Recycling | Monday · Tuesday · Wednesday · Thursday · Friday | Depends on your zone — check the Recycling zone list |
| Yard waste | Monday · Tuesday · Thursday · Friday | Depends on your zone — check the Yard waste zone list |
Which zone is my street in?
Collection day by zone. Confirm at the edges with the city.
| Zone | Day | Covers |
|---|---|---|
| Trash — Monday | Monday | 1 zone(s): Monday |
| Trash — Tuesday | Tuesday | 1 zone(s): Tuesday |
| Trash — Wednesday | Wednesday | 1 zone(s): Wednesday |
| Trash — Thursday | Thursday | 1 zone(s): Thursday |
| Trash — Friday | Friday | 1 zone(s): Friday |
When is recycling collected?
Recycling day by zone — recycling runs on its own schedule, which can differ from trash. Confirm at the edges with the city.
| Zone | Day | Covers |
|---|---|---|
| Recycling Extra — Monday | Monday | 1 zone(s): Monday Recycling Extra |
| Recycling Extra — Tuesday | Tuesday | 1 zone(s): Tuesday Recycling Extra |
| Recycling Extra — Wednesday | Wednesday | 1 zone(s): Wednesday Recycling Extra |
| Recycling Extra — Thursday | Thursday | 1 zone(s): Thursday Recycling Extra |
| Recycling Extra — Friday | Friday | 1 zone(s): Friday Recycling Extra |
Yard waste collection days by zone
Use the zone list with the city’s current schedule.
| Zone | Day | Covers |
|---|---|---|
| Compost Extra — Monday | Monday | 1 zone(s): Monday Compost Extra |
| Compost Extra — Tuesday | Tuesday | 1 zone(s): Tuesday Compost Extra |
| Compost Extra — Thursday | Thursday | 1 zone(s): Thursday Compost Extra |
| Compost Extra — Friday | Friday | 1 zone(s): Friday Compost Extra |
Service days by zone
The city publishes service-specific zone or cycle details rather than one shared date calendar.
What about bulky or special items?
Mattresses, appliances, storm debris — the rules before you set them out.
- 'Extra' collection programs — Cambridge publishes separate 'Recycling Extra' zones for all five weekdays and 'Compost Extra' zones for Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday (none for Wednesday). These are supplemental collection programs layered on the base weekday zones.
More details: bulk & yard waste page.
Who collects what?
The provider for each service and how to reach them.
| Service | Provider | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Trash | City of Cambridge Department of Public Works (city-collected) | |
| Recycling | City of Cambridge Department of Public Works (city-collected) | |
| Yard waste | City of Cambridge Department of Public Works (city-collected) |
Common questions
The things Cambridge residents ask most.
What day is trash pickup in Cambridge MA?
One of the five weekday zones (Monday-Friday); the city's 'Zero Waste Cambridge' lookup returns your day plus Recycling Extra and Compost Extra assignments.
What changed recently?
Every update to this page, newest first.
- Record created from the city's official ReCollect lookup zone list (CambridgeMA) (20 zones: base Mon-Fri + Recycling Extra + Compost Extra programs)
Population 118,403 · Sources: City of Cambridge official ReCollect lookup (area CambridgeMA, servic… · Summarized from municipal, hauler, and public-data records; schedules change without notice.