Medford, MA Landscaping Rules: Composting (2026)

Sec. 6-119, part of Chapter 6's rodent-control article (Ord. No. 858, 2021), sets out six conditions a backyard compost bin must meet before private composting is allowed. The bin itself must be built from hardware cloth or welded wire, wood, plastic barrels, or another durable material, and the entire bin must be lined with rodent-proof hardware cloth or wire mesh no larger than one-fourth inch. The lid has to be tight-fitting with the ability to lock, and the site needs adequate drainage, which the ordinance illustrates by digging the soil below the bin and laying three to four inches of coarse gravel.

Siting matters as much as construction: the pile must sit away from spots that attract animal nesting, such as wood piles, carports, sheds, or brush piles, and away from attractive food sources like bird feeders, pet-food bowls, garbage cans, fruit trees, or berry bushes. The same section separately addresses curbside composting bins, which need their own tight-fitting, locking lid and a compostable plastic or paper liner to control odors. Because composting sits inside the rodent-control article rather than a separate solid-waste chapter, Sec. 6-120's enforcement language applies to it the same way it applies to dumpster and food-establishment permits: noncompliance can draw revocation of any associated permit and fines of up to $300.00 per day, handled as a noncriminal disposition under the city's Board of Health regulation.