# Solid Waste ## Summary How to manage, store, and dispose of solid waste. ## Who is this for? - Building and operations management. - Harvard construction project managers. ## Managing solid waste Recycling and composting help reduce waste disposal costs and ensure compliance with Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) requirements. Properly managing solid waste is part of sustainable materials management. Building managers and construction project managers must: - Separate banned materials from trash. - Establish areas to manage recyclable and compostable waste. - Work with Facilities Maintenance Operations or your waste vendor to establish proper recycling and composting procedures. You can collect most recyclable waste together. However, you must collect certain materials like food waste separately. Anyone who does not properly handle waste materials is subject to MassDEP regulatory enforcement and fines. ## Disposal restrictions and waste bans [MassDEP waste disposal bans](https://www.mass.gov/guides/massdep-waste-disposal-bans) restrict certain hazardous, recyclable, or compostable materials from disposal at solid waste facilities in Massachusetts. These restrictions also promote reuse and recycling, decrease waste volumes, and reduce environmental release incidents. Waste restrictions apply to all solid waste destined for a Massachusetts landfill, incinerator, or transfer station. You must divert restricted solid waste from the trash stream through waste reduction, reuse, recycling, or composting. Not doing so could cause disposal facilities to reject waste or subject Harvard to additional handling fees or enforcement penalties. ### Disposal restrictions by material Review each material for disposal requirements and exceptions. Open all sections Close all sections ### Appliances and white goods expand\_more You cannot dispose of these materials at solid waste facilities in Massachusetts: - Appliances that use electricity, oil, natural gas, or liquefied petroleum gas. - White goods, which include: - Clothes washers and dryers. - Dishwashers. - Hot water heaters. - Ovens and ranges. - Refrigerators and freezers. ### Batteries and light bulbs expand\_more You cannot dispose of these materials at solid waste facilities in Massachusetts: - Fluorescent light bulbs (dispose of these bulbs as [universal waste](/resource/universal-waste "Universal Waste")). - Lead-acid batteries used in motor vehicles or stationary applications. ### Building materials expand\_more You cannot dispose of these materials at solid waste facilities in Massachusetts: - Asphalt pavement, brick, and concrete from construction and demolition of buildings, roads, bridges, and similar sources. ### Food waste expand\_more Facilities that generate more than 0.5 tons of compostable organic waste a week need a composting program. Each Harvard campus is considered a separate facility. This includes food items from kitchen waste and non-consumed portions of meals. Segregate food waste from trash and recycling and manage it as compostable waste. Exceptions: - Animal bedding. ### Glass expand\_more You cannot dispose of these materials at solid waste facilities in Massachusetts: - Glass bottles and jars. - Intact, broken, or processed cathode ray tubes or glass tubes for visual displays in TVs, computer monitors, or certain scientific instruments. Exceptions: - Ceramics. - Drinking glasses and Pyrex cookware. - Plate glass. - Windows. - Windshields. ### Leaves and yard waste expand\_more You cannot dispose of these materials at solid waste facilities in Massachusetts: - Leaves, grass clippings, weeds, garden materials, shrub trimmings, and brush that is 1 in or less in diameter. Exceptions: - Diseased plants. ### Metal expand\_more You cannot dispose of these materials at solid waste facilities in Massachusetts: - Aluminum, steel, or bi-metal food or beverage containers. - Ferrous and non-ferrous metals from used appliances, building materials, industrial equipment, manufacturing processes, or vehicles. ### Paper and wood expand\_more You cannot dispose of these materials at solid waste facilities in Massachusetts: - Clean wood waste, including trees, stumps, brush, sawdust, chips, shavings, and bark. - Recyclable paper, cardboard, and paperboard products. - Treated and untreated wood. Exceptions: - Low-grade paper products. - Paper plates and cups. - Tissue paper. - Toweling. - Wax-coated cardboard. - Wood furniture. ### Plastic expand\_more You cannot dispose of these materials at solid waste facilities in Massachusetts: - Plastic bottles, jars, jugs, and tubs. ### Textiles and mattresses expand\_more You cannot dispose of these materials at solid waste facilities in Massachusetts: - Clothing, footwear, bedding, towels, curtains, fabric, and similar items. - Any resilient material or combination of materials used alone or with other products that meet these criteria: - Enclosed by ticking. - Intended for sleeping upon. This includes foundations and box springs. Exceptions: - Air mattresses or waterbeds that do not contain upholstery material between the ticking and the mattress core. - Items contaminated with mold, bodily fluids, insects, oil, or hazardous substances. - Mattress pads or toppers, baskets, car beds, carriages, crib bumpers, dressing tables, infant carriers, lounge pads, pillows, playpens, sleeping bags, or strollers. - Mattresses contaminated with bodily fluids, hazardous substances, mold, insects, or oil. - Mattresses in futons or sofa beds. ### Tires expand\_more You cannot dispose of these materials at solid waste facilities in Massachusetts: - Whole motor vehicle tires of all types. Exceptions: - Shredded tires (tires cut, sliced, or ground into at least four pieces so the tire is not circular). ## Related resources Find documents and online tools to manage solid waste [### Construction EHS Exhibit: Solid Waste Management ](/resource/construction-ehs-exhibit-solid-waste-management)Construction solid waste management requirements [### Radiation Waste ](/resource/radiation-waste)Manage, store, and dispose of radiation waste [### Solid Biological and Pathological Waste ](/resource/solid-biological-and-pathological-waste)Collect and dispose of solid biological and pathological waste ## EHS support [Contact EHS](/contact-us "Contact Us") for more information about solid waste, including: - Activity registration and permitting. - Composting. - Managing solid waste containers. - MassDEP waste disposal bans. - Recycling plans. See also:- [ Building and Operations Managers ](/audience/building-and-operations-managers) - [ Construction Project Managers ](/audience/construction-project-managers) - [ Waste Management and Disposal ](/topic-areas/waste-management-and-disposal) - [ Solid Waste ](/topic-areas/solid-waste)