Massachusetts
Recycling drop-off
Cambridge recycling drop-off
Hours, sticker price, who can use it, item fees, hazardous waste options, and holiday notes for Cambridge Recycling Center.
Not a household-trash drop-off. This page covers only the specifically listed recycling, compost, hazardous or specialty materials. Check the accepted materials before loading your vehicle.
Last verified from official sources: 2026-11-12
Who can use it
Open to all Cambridge residents. The official Recycling Center page also says the Recycle Center is open to Cambridge small businesses and non-profit organizations with 50 employees or fewer. Contact DPW if you plan on bringing more than 50 items. The Recycling Center is in the back right corner of the Public Works yard. This is a special-item and recyclables drop-off, not a general trash dump; trash is not accepted.
Hours
- Tuesdays, 4:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
- Thursdays, 4:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
- Saturdays, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Sticker or permit
Required: No (see notes)
Price:
Where to buy:
Notes: No entrance sticker is described on the official Recycling Center page.
Per-item fees
| Item | Fee |
|---|
Hazardous waste
The Recycling Center accepts fluorescent bulbs, mercury items (thermometers and thermostats), and batteries (the official page asks residents to sort alkaline batteries from other batteries). Propane tanks, fire extinguishers, chemical liquids, waste fuels, and oil-based and latex paints are not accepted at the Recycling Center; the official page points those items to Household Hazardous Waste events. The official Public Works page listed the final 2026 Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day as Saturday, November 7, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., at 50 Mooney St., for Cambridge residents only; that official 2026 date has already passed as of November 12, 2026. Confirm later official dates with DPW at (617) 349-4800.
Holiday closures
No dated holiday list for the Recycling Center appears on the fetched official Recycling Center or Public Works pages. A Public Works Veterans Day notice described closures of City offices, libraries, and senior centers on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, and was not applied as Recycling Center hours. Confirm with DPW at (617) 349-4800 before a holiday week.
Holiday schedule last verified 2026-11-12 from official sources .
Other notes
- Facts from the official City of Cambridge Recycling Center page (last modified October 29, 2026) and the official Public Works department page, fetched November 12, 2026.
- Accepted items on the official Recycling Center page include fluorescent bulbs; mercury items; batteries; electronics (small appliances, computers, cell phones, string lights, and other small electronics); plastic bags (the official page links a list of accepted types); books; scrap metal items with no sealed containers and no appliances; bulky plastics such as laundry baskets and pails; printer cartridges; and blue-cart recyclables (paper, metal cans and foil, cardboard, and plastic containers). The official page points residents to the City's Get Rid of It Right tool to check a specific electronic item.
- The official page says there are no additional neighborhood pop-up Recycle events scheduled for the remainder of 2026, and that pop-up events will return in spring 2027.
- (617) 349-4800 is the official DPW phone on the Public Works page. The Recycling Center and DPW share the 147 Hampshire St. address. ZIP 02139 is the official ZIP printed with that address on the Public Works page.
Nearby Massachusetts towns
Sources
Every fee and hour above was taken from these official pages or PDFs on 2026-11-12. If something conflicts, trust the town.