Cambridge, MA Public Health Rules: Rodent Control (2026)

25, 'Container requirements,' requires every dumpster in Cambridge to be in new or good condition, free of the kind of wear or misuse damage that would let rodents get in or let liquids leak out. Dumpsters must stay covered and secured at all times except while actively being filled or emptied, and temporary dumpsters used for construction or events must be covered with at least a tight-fitting tarp whenever they are not in use, including overnight. The section also requires dumpsters to be deodorized and washed on a regular schedule, and it gives the Commissioner of Inspectional Services, or a designee, authority to order more frequent cleaning.

Critically, if rodent activity or other site hygiene issues are prevalent, the Commissioner can require additional design or containment measures using the best available technology, a standard broader than a fixed spec. 020(E), which already requires ordinary rubbish receptacles used for curbside collection to be flytight, rodent resistant, nonflammable and waterproof. 110 layers on a property-maintenance duty: the lot owner or responsible party must keep the dumpster area free of odors, debris, litter, overflow, and all other nuisances including pests, tying rodent control to the broader dumpster license.