Waste bans boost recycling and support the recycling industry, which contributes thousands of jobs and millions of dollars to the Massachusetts economy. By cutting down on disposal, the waste bans also help us capture valuable resources, save energy, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and lessen our reliance on landfills and incinerators.
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MassDEP Waste Disposal Bans
Table of Contents
News & Updates
November 1, 2022
MassDEP is expanding its waste disposal bans by:
- Lowering the threshold on commercial organic/food waste to facilities generating more than one-half ton of these materials per week; and
- Adding mattresses and textiles to the list of materials banned from disposal or transport for disposal in Massachusetts.
For details and definitions, see the regulations.
October 2021
MassDEP issued its final 2030 Solid Waste Master Plan, which established goals for reducing disposal statewide by 30 percent (from 5.7 million tons in 2018 to 4 million tons in 2030) over the next decade. It set a long-term goal of achieving a 90 percent reduction in disposal to 570,000 tons by 2050.
See Additional Resources below to learn more.
Additional Resources for News & Updates
About the Waste Bans
The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) introduced its first bans on landfilling and combustion of easy-to-recycle and toxic materials in 1990. Additional "waste bans" have been phased in over time.
| Materials Currently Banned from Disposal or Transfer for Disposal in Massachusetts |
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Since the first waste bans were introduced, Massachusetts municipalities and businesses - often supported by MassDEP grants and technical assistance - have developed new infrastructure to collect banned items and other discarded materials, and to divert them from disposal to reuse and recycling.
Additional Resources for About the Waste Bans
Waste Ban Regulations & Policies
The MassDEP waste disposal bans can be found in Section 19.017 of the agency's Solid Waste Management Facility Regulations at 310 CMR 19.000.
Additional Resources for Waste Ban Regulations & Policies
Generator & Hauler Compliance Assistance
Both organizations that generate solid waste and those that transport it to disposal facilities are responsible for complying with the Massachusetts waste bans.
Businesses and property managers should encourage waste reduction, provide for recycling, and ensure that employees and tenants don't throw away items that landfills and combustion facilities are prohibited from accepting for disposal.
See also: Material-Specific Compliance Assistance
Additional Resources for Generator & Hauler Compliance Assistance
Material-Specific Compliance Assistance
MassDEP has prepared these documents to help businesses, haulers, and solid waste management facilities comply with disposal ban requirements as they apply to specific items and materials.
Additional Resources for Material-Specific Compliance Assistance
Municipal Compliance Assistance
MassDEP has prepared these resources to help Massachusetts cities and towns comply with disposal ban requirements as they apply to curbside collection, drop-off acceptance, and transfer of solid waste and recyclables.
See also: Material-Specific Compliance Assistance
Additional Resources for Municipal Compliance Assistance
Solid Waste Facility Compliance Assistance
The Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) conducts ongoing inspections at landfills and combustion facilities to identify waste haulers and generators who improperly dispose of banned materials, and to ensure that these items are not being accepted for disposal.
See also: Material-Specific Compliance Assistance
Additional Resources for Solid Waste Facility Compliance Assistance
Third-Party Waste Ban Inspections & Inspectors
Massachusetts solid waste management facilities are required by 310 CMR 19.018 to undergo periodic third-party waste ban compliance inspections. Only third-party inspectors (TPIs) listed by the agency may perform this work.
Complete Required
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Training is Held Once Annually
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See Key Actions below to:
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Key Actions for Third-Party Waste Ban Inspections & Inspectors
Third-Party Inspection Forms
The Third-Party Inspector needs to record the results of a solid waste waste ban inspection and report these findings to MassDEP using the following forms:
- Waste Ban Compliance Inspection Report (with all applicable sections completed and the certification statement signed);
- Load Observation and Comparative Analysis worksheets; and
- Corrective Action Plan & Schedule if the inspection report indicates these are necessary.
These instructions, forms, and worksheets can be found in Additional Resources below.
Please Note: The Waste Ban Inspection Load Observation and Comparative Analysis worksheets have been updated to reflect the November 1, 2022, expansion of disposal bans and should be used for all inspections performed after that date.