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# Pembroke's Recycling Audit Results
- URL: https://pembrokecitizenjournal.com/community/pembroke-2026-recycling-audit-results/
- Published: 2026-09-18T12:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-18T14:06:05.000Z
- Description: Pembroke's recycling contamination rate hit 24.3% in Waste Management's 2026 audit, nearly double the 2024 rate, with plastic bags and bagged recyclables the most common problems.
- Author: Nicole Lydic
- Tags: Community, Town Hall, #top-story

Every year, the Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) Waste Management in Avon, MA, audits Pembroke's curbside recycling. This year’s audit was conducted between June 22 and July 8\. During the audit, MRF employees measure a sample from each load, separate recyclables from non-recyclable items, and calculate contamination as a percentage by weight.

In 2025, Pembroke’s recycling contamination level was 21%, up 7.6% from the 2024 audit (13.4%). Every ton over the 10% allowed by the MRF increases the cost of sorting and impacts the town’s trash and recycling charges. Residents saw their municipal waste bills increase. As a member of Pembroke’s Recycling and Sustainability Committee, I was alarmed by this increase in contamination. This percentage increase equates to a considerable amount of money charged to the town.

We received the 2026 audit results in late August. Pembroke’s overall contamination rate was 24.3%. It is an increase of 3.3% over 2025 and 10.9% over the 2024 results. Pembroke has nearly doubled its recycling contamination in two years. This trend is alarming. In the results notification, Waste Management (WM), Pembroke’s MRF, recommended extensive public outreach to help reduce recycling contamination. At least 2.3% of the town’s contamination came from residents placing recyclables inside plastic bags. WM did not measure this metric throughout the entire audit, so that percentage is likely conservative.

Plastic bags and recyclables inside trash bags were the most common contaminants during the audit. Other items found in Pembroke’s curbside recycling include hoses, scrap metal, rocks, clothing, wire, syringes, a lead-acid battery, and a dead rat. Maybe the rat found its way into the bin looking for food scraps, another of Pembroke’s common contaminants; either way, carcasses are not allowed.

The worst of the town’s samples was collected on Thursday, June 25, at 38.9% contamination. This load included rocks, scrap metal, and bagged recyclables among other things. The best load came in at 15.8% from Tuesday June 30, but it also included bagged recyclables, scrap metal, and syringes. These results were frustrating. The contamination spans throughout the town. Pembroke is moving in the wrong direction and spending unnecessary money. When the MRF refuses a load of recycling, it is diverted to a landfill or incinerator. This doubles the cost of the load and the fuel necessary for extended transport. The audit shows that every load of recycling in town could be refused, with each route being over the accepted 10%. If the town does not reduce contamination, WM could refuse all of Pembroke's loads, potentially doubling the overall expense. If the MRF refuses the loads, the hauler may begin to refuse the recycling toters. Rerouting the trucks to a landfill or incinerator is costly and time-consuming.

I asked the Pembroke Selectboard for an appointment to discuss the results and met with them on September 9\. I discussed the importance of taking direct action by utilizing the MA Department of Environmental Protection Technical Assistance grant awarded to the town in December of 2025 to help mitigate the contamination issues discovered during the audit. The grant provides the town with a Municipal Assistance Coordinator (MAC) to help plan and execute various outreach programs. The MAC reviews town contracts with haulers and MRFs and advises town management on how to use what is available through those contracts. They also meet with representatives from all parties to organize a combined effort to remediate the problem.

I also asked the selectboard for assistance with the hurdles the Recycling and Sustainability Committee has faced. When I joined the committee in 2023, I was the sixth member of what was designed to be a seven-person committee. Since then, two members have resigned. This leaves only four members, the quorum. If one member misses a meeting, the committee can not vote on pertinent agenda items. The Selectboard recognized this difficulty and agreed to consider options for reforming the committee if, by combined effort, volunteers are not found.

At the September 9 meeting, the Selectboard agreed that the town needs to take action to reduce contamination rates. We will work with the MAC, our haulers, and MRF to devise the most effective methods for reducing Pembroke’s contamination rates. It is imperative that “residents place all accepted recyclable materials loose in their collection bins to help further reduce contamination,” per WM, Pembroke’s MRF. Not bagging recyclables is an important, easy first step residents can take to save money on municipal trash bills.

![Keep recyclables loose in the bin, never bag them.](https://cdn.synaps.media/pembrokenews/content/images/2026/09/looseinbin.jpg)

Keep recyclables loose in the bin, never bag them.