The Martha’s Vineyard Solid Waste Task Force is a coalition of town officials, waste professionals, nonprofit leaders, and community members working under the Martha’s Vineyard Commission. Formed in 2025, the Task Force meets monthly to tackle the Island’s solid waste challenges head-on—developing smarter, more cost-effective, and more sustainable strategies for how we handle our trash, recycling, compost, and hazardous materials.

Why is there a need?

Nearly all of the Vineyard’s waste is shipped off-Island, often at rising costs and with increasing uncertainty about where it goes. Hauling waste farther away, rising disposal fees, and industry consolidation threaten local control and affordability. Meanwhile, our limited land base makes it difficult to manage materials locally. With 20,000 year-round residents and more than four times that number in the summer, we need solutions that reduce costs, cut truck traffic, protect our environment, and build community resilience.

Areas of Focus

The Task Force is exploring practical strategies and emerging technologies to:

• Reduce waste at the source by encouraging reuse, repair, and smarter consumption.

• Expand composting to keep food waste out of the trash while supporting Island farms and landscapers.

• Improve recycling and diversion so more materials stay in circulation.

• Plan for hazardous and construction waste through safer, more efficient local systems.

• Promote regional collaboration with Cape towns and Nantucket where shared solutions make sense.

• Engage the public through education, outreach, and a new online platform to keep residents involved.