Solid Waste
Acton Climate Action Plan Tracker
Strategy SW1
Improve and expand services to reduce waste and increase the waste diversion rate
⇢ Coming Soon
The Town will provide information and resources to farms and restaurants interested in donating their food to pantries or shelters. This includes providing an up-to-date list of local food pantries and shelters for restaurants and farms to consider.
⇢ Coming Soon
The Town of Acton will conduct outreach to inform residents and businesses of options to donate used items, including the promotion of the swap shop located at the Transfer Station. Acton will also explore the possibility of an exchange center for multi-unit dwellings.
↺ In Progress
Town staff presented preliminary analysis to the Select Board pertaining to current Transfer Station trash and recycling services, as well as the potential for a curbside hauling program. The Select Board approved a public outreach plan which included presenting to and gathering feedback on these services from a number of boards/committees, which is currently ongoing.
↺ In Progress
The Board of Health (BOH) reviewed new draft language to strengthen hauler regulations in accordance with Mass Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) best practices. The new language is pending approval from the BOH.
↺ In Progress
The Town recently conducted an energy efficiency audit through the UMass Clean Energy Corps. The Town will identify opportunities to implement energy efficiency improvements based on the report.
Strategy SW2
Advocate for zero waste initiatives
↺ In Progress
As part of Strategy SW1, Action 3, the Town is exploring opportunities to expand the Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT) program to all residents in Acton. In a PAYT program residents are charged for the collection of municipal solid waste—ordinary household trash—based on the amount they throw away. This creates a direct economic incentive to recycle more and to generate less waste. The PAYT program is currently available to residents who use the Transfer Station.
The Town, in coordination with the Green Advisory Board, advocates for initiatives that support Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). EPR policies enact product specific and framework legislation to have producers share in the responsibility for product waste management costs, which shift costs from municipalities and give producers the incentive to design products to make them easier to reuse and recycle and are less toxic.
