Medford Mayor Faces Resident Backlash Over Bi-Weekly Trash Pickup Plan
MEDFORD, MA – Medford Mayor Breena Lungo-koehn is facing notable opposition from residents after announcing a shift to bi-weekly trash collection, beginning July 1, 2027. The move, framed by the mayor as part of a broader “zero-waste” initiative, has sparked concerns about increased rodent populations and unpleasant odors.
Lungo-Koehn, a Democrat, touted the change in a recent press release, stating the plan is intended “to restore or renew value, eliminate waste, and decrease pollution.” The city secured $200,000 in grant funding to support these zero-waste initiatives.
The new schedule will see residential 64-gallon trash carts collected every other week alongside recycling, at no additional charge. This equates to a 32-gallon per household weekly baseline, meeting the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection’s (MassDEP) service volume threshold for a Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT) program, making Medford eligible for related grant funding.
However, residents have voiced strong objections on social media. Concerns centre around a potential increase in the city’s existing rodent problem. “So more rats will be coming. It’s awful there are so so many rats in our neighborhood,” one resident posted on a Medford community Facebook page. another resident expressed worry that ”The exterminators’ business will increase…The rats are taking over our neighborhoods.”
Other residents cited concerns about the smell of refuse sitting for longer periods, especially during warmer months.”Nobody wants to smell two weeks of garbage, particularly in the summer,” one commenter wrote.
Medford City Council President Zac bears also criticized the plan during a recent council meeting, noting the announcement was positioned at the bottom of the press release. “We’re not seeing any of the benchmarks that would lead us to believe that this is a good change,” he said,according to the Boston Herald. Bears added that the placement of the data “rubbed a lot of people the wrong way” and contributed to a lack of trust in the program.
Lungo-Koehn was previously recognized for her support of the city’s weekly curbside composting program, receiving an “Outstanding Elected Leader” award from the National Recycling Coalition last July and another award from the Northeast Recycling Council last month.
The Mayor’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
