Two districts manage solid waste on the Island: the MV Refuse District and Oak Bluffs Transfer Station. Both have relied on shipping waste off-Island by ferry and truck since the closure of landfills beginning in the 1990s. As shipping and disposal costs rise in conjunction with dwindling capacity in the Northeast, it is critical to plan and invest in waste reduction and materials reuse.

Key Information

Region

• MVC Solid Waste Report (2024)
  
• Issues and Opportunities around Food Waste on Martha’s Vineyard (Youmans, Fink Family Foundation 2021)
• Island-Wide Organics Feasibility Study (Abrams and Spencer, MV Vision Fellowship 2017)
  
• Solid Waste Management Consolidation Study (2011)

State

• 2023 Solid Waste Data Update (2024)
• Organics Action Plan (2023)
  
• 2030 Solid Waste Master Plan: Working Together Toward Zero Waste (2021)

Key Organizations

• Martha’s Vineyard Refuse District: A public entity that handles solid waste in Aquinnah, Chilmark, Edgartown, West Tisbury.
  
• Bruno's Rolloff: A private business servicing the Oak Bluffs Transfer Station that handles waste in Oak Bluffs and Tisbury, and commercial construction and demolition waste.

The MVC convenes the following two groups to improve solid waste management on the Vineyard. The public is welcome to attend these online meetings. See MVC Calendar for meeting dates, times, and agenda:

• Trash Task Force (1^st Mondays monthly): Investigates current solid waste management practices to improve their operations on the Island.
• Organics Recovery Subcommittee (3^rd Wednesdays monthly): Coordinates initiatives to divert food waste from the solid waste streams.

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