Waste Reduction Community Forum

When

September 15, 2026

6:30 pm

Where

Lexington Police Station Community Room
1575 Massachusetts Ave, Lexington, 02420

Event Type

The Select Board heard a presentation on July 20th about the options being considered in negotiations with our waste and recycling hauler. Please join this Community Forum, available online at this zoom link or in person at the Lexington Police Station Community Room, to discuss trash bin options, or one of the others.

The Town is preparing to roll out a modernized waste collection program in the summer of 2027 that will help control rising costs and reduce waste. The new system will include transitioning to automated collection, which will mean residents will be provided with new wheeled carts for both trash and recycling. Trash, recycling, and compost will continue to be picked up weekly while also accommodating households with income, mobility or medical constraints.

The next step is for residents to advocate through emails, conversations with other residents, and participation in community forums to support the option for a free 35-gallon bin as the baseline.

Please take these steps:

1. Plan to attend a community forum (dates below) and speak up to say you want a program with a 35 gallon trash bin as a baseline. Please sign up here so we know we can count on you! Even better, ask a neighbor to join you and also participate:

– Wednesday, August 26th at 6:30 pm (Community Center Dining Room and Virtual)

– Wednesday, September 2 at 6:30 pm (Virtual only)

– Friday, September 4 at 9:30 am (Community Center Rm 237) – Women League of Voters First Friday Event

– Monday, September 14 at noon (Virtual only)

– Tuesday, September 15 at 6:30 pm (Police Community Room and Virtual)

2. Write to a select board member explaining why you would like the 35 gallon trash bin as a baseline, and ask folks in your networks to do the same. Use your own words, but if you need help getting started, we encourage you to write about your own household and neighbors, (Do you compost? How much trash do you create weekly?) and focus on the benefits that are most important to you:

– Reduction of trash to reduce pollution

– Conservation of natural resources: Reducing waste saves space in landfills which can be used for materials that can’t be composted or recycled.

– Continuing to reduce town trash tonnage: This graph shows how much of Lexington’s trash is made up of materials that could be recycled or composted.

– Reduction of costs: You pay for trash collection through your taxes!

– Greater equity: Households that generate more trash will have to pay more, and this will incentivize changes in behavior

– Creating a program for the future!

The chart above will be presented at the Community forums. It was shared with the Select Board on Aug 17, showing two different options for what limit to place on free trash. If you would like to suggest another option, feel free to do so during the Community Forums.