Reprint of the April 2026 edition of the Eastham Waste Reduction & Recycling Committee’s Newsletter.
Click here to download the PDF version

The focus of this month’s edition of the Eastham Waste Reduction & Recycling Committee’s Newsletter is Trash!

This month, we’re focusing on trash—what we throw away, where it goes, and why it matters more than ever in Eastham. Inside the April issue, you’ll find a closer look at what counts as solid waste and the growing impact it has on our community, from rising disposal costs to the thousands of tons sent each year to the SEMASS Waste-to-Energy Facility.

We’re also highlighting simple ways to cut back with our “Reduce Your Trash by 25%” challenge, plus tips on keeping valuable materials like cardboard and food scraps out of the dumpsters. You’ll find Transfer Station hours, details on the upcoming Household Hazardous Waste Day, and ways to get involved—from volunteering to visiting the Swap Shop.

Join us in rethinking what we throw away and taking small steps toward a less wasteful Eastham.

Topics include:

What is Trash aka Solid Waste?
Where does our trash go?
Resident Challenge: Reduce Your Trash by 25%
Volunteers Wanted
In the News
Upcoming Events

REFUSE,RETHINK,REDUCE, REUSE,RECYCLE

April 2026

EASTHAM RECYCLES
Focus on Trash

Transfer Station Hours

Saturday through Wednesday
- 7:30am to 3pm
Summer Hours
- Also open Fridays
- Jul 3 – Sep 11
Closed
- Memorial Day
- Juneteenth

Swap Shop

Saturday, Sunday,
Wednesday
- 10am to 1pm

Hazardous Waste Day

May 16 9am to Noon
Eastham Transfer Station
www.loveyourlocalwater
.org

Subject to change.

May Focus: Household Hazardous Waste Pop Quiz

Q: Which of these items is NOT considered household hazardous waste?
A. Oil-based paint
B. Lithium-ion batteries
C. Latex (water-based) paint
D. Pesticides

Answer from last month’s quiz
What percentage of household
waste could be composted
instead of trashed?
D. At least 25%!

For More Information

Check out these resources for more information.

Contact Us
The Eastham Waste Reduction & Recycling Committee is always looking for volunteers as well as members. Contact us via email at recyclingcommittee@eastham-ma.gov or the Eastham Waste Reduction & Recycling Committee page on the Eastham Town website.

Archives

What is Trash aka Solid Waste?

In Eastham, solid waste refers to what we throw into the large dumpsters located just beyond the recycling area at the Transfer Station. This is the trash that cannot be reused, recycled, or composted—and it adds up quickly. In Eastham, trash disposal has risen sharply—jumping from about 2,100 tons in 2023 to 3,612 tons in 2025—highlighting a growing solid waste problem.

Where does our trash go?

Disposing of this waste comes at a significant cost. The Town pays approximately $140 per ton to transport and process this material at the SEMASS Waste-to-Energy Facility. There, the trash is handled using “shred-and-burn” technology, meaning it is shredded and then incinerated to produce electricity. While this process recovers energy, it is still the most expensive and least sustainable option compared to reducing, reusing, recycling, and composting.

Resident Challenge: Reduce Your Trash by 25%

Small changes can make a big impact! Start by paying attention to what you throw away each week, then look for easy opportunities to cut back—separate food scraps for composting, recycle correctly, and keep textiles out of the trash.

Easy first steps are to stop putting cardboard in the trash. Cardboard has many more lives left in it, plus we get paid for the cardboard we recycle instead of paying burn it! Try simple swaps like reusable bags, bottles, and containers, and choose products with less packaging when you shop. Even
reducing just one bag of trash a week can add up quickly. If enough households participate, Eastham could significantly lower disposal costs and reduce the amount of waste sent to the SEMASS Waste-to-Energy Facility—saving money and protecting our local environment at the same time.

Volunteers Wanted

The Eastham Waste Reduction & Recycling Committee is looking for new members—and community volunteers—to help strengthen our waste-reduction efforts. If you’re not ready to join the committee formally, you can still make a big difference by lending a hand on upcoming projects, including:

Creating updated signage for the Recycling Center
Developing a display about plastic contamination in food-waste compost
Writing the monthly newsletter
Assisting with a traveling compost-education workshop around town
Working a shift at an info booth at a town event or the transfer station
Planning future initiatives
And more!

Whether you have an hour to spare or want to take on a small project, we’d love your help. Reach out to recyclingcommittee@eastham-ma.gov and get involved!

In the News