When Jennifer Polanco moved to Boston’s West End, she quickly embraced composting. “My roommate mentioned a nearby compost bin, and I thought, ‘Wow, that’s convenient!’” she shared while dropping off her food scraps. Her bin is just a short distance from her apartment, making it easy to separate her leftovers, like onion skins and eggshells.
Boston has placed 20 compost bins in neighborhoods over the past decade. In 2022, the city started a curbside pickup service for food scraps, collecting waste from around 27,000 households. Unfortunately, this service is limited to smaller buildings, leaving many, like Polanco, on the sidelines. Currently, there’s a waitlist of over 400 people eager to join.
Local leaders are keen to expand this $3.3 million program. Councilor Sharon Durkan is spearheading efforts to make composting accessible to more residents. “If we’re going to encourage people, we need to make it easy,” she stated in an interview. Durkan aims to address the challenges in capacity and costs holding back the program.
According to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, in 2024, the state turned 21,000 tons of food waste into compost. However, this is a small fraction of the 780,000 tons the state aims to divert by 2030. Efforts are underway to revise state regulations, possibly expanding restrictions on food waste disposal to include more businesses and even residences.
Recently, the Massachusetts Restaurant Association highlighted how current laws mainly affect large producers like universities and prisons. President Stephen Clark emphasized the need for clarity about the changes. “We need to know who will be impacted and how much this will cost,” he said.
While some people may see increased regulations as a burden, Polanco believes they are necessary for a sustainable future. “I love our Earth, and it’s our home,” she said. By participating in composting, she feels empowered to make a difference—even in small ways.
As Boston and Massachusetts consider expanding their composting initiatives, it’s clear that many residents, like Polanco, are ready to support a greener future. A more comprehensive approach to composting could not only help the environment but also change how citizens engage with waste management.
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