Recyclopedia: Can I recycle it?
or trash?
sort it out.
Take
the Quiz
Test your knowledge about recycling in
Massachusetts.
LEARN MORE
Smart Recycling
Guide
Here’s what can and can’t go in your
recycling bin.
LEARN MORE
Watch
the Video
Why these common items don’t belong
in the bin.
LEARN MORE
Featured Stories
This spring, we’re taking a moment to ask: are we thinking about our stuff enough? Give this newsletter a read to learn about the impact our stuff has after it ends up in the trash, and why reducing our waste matters.
Let’s take a closer look at one of our favorite resources: the humble, yet informative, Smart Recycling Guide. Dig into the thoughts behind the guide and some recent changes in this month's newsletter.
Americans generate 23% more trash between Thanksgiving and New Year than any other time of year. That’s a lot of extra trash! Luckily, there are things we can do to reduce the amount of trash we generate this time of year. Check out our holiday-spirited tips and tricks!
It’s our favorite time of year – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle-Palooza! We’re excited to present a series of webinars celebrating waste reduction. Join us to learn about what’s going on with trash and recycling in the state and hear from local reuse and repair trailblazers.
We’re on a mission to reframe the waste hierarchy! Take a closer look at actions that can have big impacts on waste reduction.
This month we’re answering one of our most frequently asked questions: “Which numbers can I recycle?” Spoiler: It’s not that simple. Learn the what, why, and how of recycling’s “magic” numbers.
It’s almost time for Earth Month and we want you to get involved! From litter clean-ups to tree planting, we’ve got a list of activities to help you plan your Earth Month festivities.
We’re taking a deep dive into how plastics are sorted at material recovery facilities and how that process determines which plastics can and can’t be recycled. There's a method to the madness - we promise!
We know you’ve seen the recent headlines that plastic recycling is a “dead end” or even worse, “a dumpster fire,” so we’re setting the record straight. Plastics recycling IS real and IS happening in Massachusetts.
What exactly IS a waste ban and what does it mean for you? Recycle Smart is here to explain the upcoming mattress and textiles waste bans in this month’s newsletter.
In celebration of all things waste reduction, Recycle Smart MA is proud to host our third annual Reduce, Reuse, Recycle-Palooza! Join us to learn why we have recycling rules, hear from local reuse champs, and see how mattresses and textiles are reused and recycled.
The Summer of Reuse continues! This month we highlight two organizations that work to reduce waste by rescuing building and office materials that would otherwise be thrown away. You can’t help but be inspired.
We love our clothes. But what happens when it’s time to let go? Textile recovery can sound daunting, but we promise it’s not! Read on for some fast facts about textiles in Massachusetts.
Welcome to the kick-off of what we’re calling the Summer of Reuse! For the next couple months, we’ll be sharing stories of trailblazing organizations and businesses that are dedicated to reusing, repairing, refilling, refusing, repurposing, and more.
This month we bring you answers to the most commonly asked questions during our recent Ask Me Anything about Recycling in MA webinars. Catch up on the discussion and maybe learn a thing or two!
Let’s talk about something that can drive a conscientious consumer mad: improper disposal of mercury-containing light bulbs. Wondering watt the big deal is? We break it down in this month’s newsletter.
After our recycling leaves the curb, how many of us really understand the next steps in the journey? Good news: Recycle Smart MA just launched a new, interactive webpage that goes behind the curtain to explain the recycling life cycle. Check out the Recycling Road Map now!
In honor of America Recycles Day next month (November 15), MassDEP and the Recycle Smart MA Team are excited to bring you a series of informative and fun webinars we think you’ll enjoy, all month long!
Have you noticed an increase in cardboard in your life? Ever wonder what happens to it once you put it in the recycling bin and hope it’s not going to waste? We’ve got good news – it’s not. Cardboard is having a resurgence in demand we haven’t seen in the US in decades. Learn how cardboard is living its best life right now.
The Recycle Smart Team is taking a "newsletter break" this summer to focus on other projects. In the meantime, we wanted to share some of our favorite reads from the last two months. We'll be back with our regular deep dive newsletter before you know it. "See you" in September!
From an early age we are taught that “sharing is caring.” We encourage our kids to take turns sharing their toys, books, and snacks with siblings and friends. While this certainly can cut down on toddler temper tantrums and bickering, you may be wondering what sharing has to do with reducing waste?
Overwhelmed by your spring decluttering project? You are not alone. American homes are filled with more than 300,000 items, and this only includes visible objects. It does not include everything tucked into dresser drawers and cabinets or stored away in boxes — and tuck away and store we do!
Do you remember life before plastic grocery bags? When “produce bags” meant small brown paper bags and we wrapped sandwiches in waxed paper bags? For most of us, these are distant memories, if that. Plastic grocery bags first hit U.S. supermarkets in 1979 after taking European markets by storm in the 1960s. Since then we’ve developed a serious plastic bag habit.
As we celebrate Women’s History Month, The Recycle Smart MA team is thrilled to share this inspiring article written by Sofie Green, Maureen Hennessy, and Bethiah Peirce. These three young women are all 8th graders in Medford and part of the Medford Girl Scout Troop 68137.
Raise your hand if you know exactly what we mean when we talk about organics in the waste stream. If you couldn’t raise your hand, don’t worry. The term “organics” can be confusing and vague. Depending on where you are, you might hear “leaf and yard waste” referred to as organics, or you may see organics referred to as “compost.”
There’s a lot to love about aluminum cans, and not just because they contain some of our favorite beverages. The pandemic spiked a huge demand for aluminum cans as Americans bought record amounts of canned beverages to consume at home while local bars and restaurants were forced to close their doors.
2020. What a year. A global pandemic, a stock market crash, Black Lives Matter protests, murder hornets, wildfires along the West Coast and in Australia, Space-Ex launched astronauts into space, and Prince Harry and Meghan Markle leaving the royal family – what’s next?
Have you ever looked in your closet and decided you have NOTHING to wear? Turns out, you are not alone. According to a 2018 survey done by Nordstrom Trunk Club, 61% of the 2,000 Americans they surveyed experience “wardrobe panic” despite having a closet full of clothes.
In honor of the 23rd anniversary of America Recycles Day on November 15 (and a do-over for Earth Day), the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) has compiled a month of informative programming we’re calling Reduce, Reuse, Recycle-palooza!
Dear Wicked Smart Recycler,
I just found out black plastic isn’t recyclable and my go-to restaurant uses black plastic take-out containers. I want to support local businesses during this critical time. Help! What do I do?
The paper recycling mill called… they want your pizza boxes. Ok, maybe you haven’t received the call personally (yet) but the U.S. box manufacturing industry wants Americans to know that their pizza boxes..,
Dear Wicked Smart Recycler,
I get that you can only recycle plastic bottles, jugs, jars and tubs here in Massachusetts. Unfortunately, my favorite coffee comes in a non-recyclable plastic pouch. It’s #PlasticFreeJuly and I don’t know what to do – help!
Dear Wicked Smart Recycler,
I recently watched a special about plastic recycling and now my head is spinning. I found out that all of the plastic that I’ve been recycling is either ending up in the ocean or going to developing countries where it is being burned or dumped...
Meet Moe. Okay, his real name is Ed but “Ed Says No” just didn’t have the same ring to it. You may recognize Ed (er, Moe) from the Recycle Smart social channels reminding you what wacky items shouldn’t go in your recycling bin...
It’s the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day, and boy, have we come a long way since the first one. Let’s take a quick trip back, shall we? ...
Inspired by our friends at the City of Cambridge, the Recycle Smart Team wanted to share some tips for how to reduce waste while you are practicing social distancing. You may be getting less use out of your reusable coffee tumbler lately...
We wouldn’t normally recommend breaking up on Valentine’s Day – but when we reflect on our love/hate relationship with single-use plastics – sometimes enough is enough...
While recent news stories about recycling might have you believe otherwise, the answer is an emphatic no, recycling is not a wasted effort. The cans, bottles and paper you put in your recycling bin are part of an important supply chain..
Massachusetts residents can expect a blizzard of boxes this holiday season with the U.S. Postal Service estimating it will deliver a mind-boggling 910 million packages between Thanksgiving and Christmas this year...
With the holiday season fast approaching, we would be remiss if we didn’t talk about the topic on all of our minds…. food. Despite our love of Thanksgiving leftovers – it turns out we aren’t that good at gobbling up all of our food, especially at the holidays...
While clothing and other textiles do not belong in your recycling bin - that doesn't mean they belong in the trash! Here’s a staggering fact: the amount of clothing that is thrown away each year in the United States has increased 43 percent between 2003 and 2013...
Whew – it’s been one hot summer! Let’s talk about another “hot topic”: mercury. Specifically, batteries that contain mercury. In this issue, we’re doing a deep dive into batteries (all kinds!) and what to do when you’re finished with them...
Winchester has kicked its recycling program up a notch. The effort is part of the state-wide initiative Recycle Smart by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection. Read the full story...
Check Us Out on Social Media
It’s true: Pizza boxes ARE recyclable in Massachussetts! Just make sure yours is completely empty of any food or liners/inserts (like parchment paper or plastic tables). Put away any leftovers, then shake out the box to confirm there’s nothing else inside. Grease on the box is OK! Then, you’re all ready to recycle. It’s as easy as (pizza) pie. 🍕
When in doubt, we’ve got you: Check the Recyclopedia at RecycleSmartMA.org. 🤝
#RecycleSmart #RecycleSmartMA #RecyclingInMA #Reduce #Reuse #Recycle #Recycling #ZeroWaste #GoGreen #EcoFriendlyLiving #RecyclingMatters #RecyclingFacts #RecyclingTips #RecycleRight #SustainableLiving #PizzaBox #PizzaBoxRecycling #PizzaLovers reduce reuse recycle #reducereuserecycle
It’s true: Pizza boxes ARE recyclable in Massachussetts! Just make sure yours is completely empty of any food or liners/inserts (like parchment paper or plastic tables). Put away any leftovers, then shake out the box to confirm there’s nothing else inside. Grease on the box is OK! Then, you’re all ready to recycle. It’s as easy as (pizza) pie. 🍕
When in doubt, we’ve got you: Check the Recyclopedia at RecycleSmartMA.org. 🤝
#RecycleSmart #RecycleSmartMA #RecyclingInMA #Reduce #Reuse #Recycle #Recycling #ZeroWaste #GoGreen #EcoFriendlyLiving #RecyclingMatters #RecyclingFacts #RecyclingTips #RecycleRight #SustainableLiving #PizzaBox #PizzaBoxRecycling #PizzaLovers reduce reuse recycle #reducereuserecycle
Look what we found: 🔎 Tufts University’s Little Free Seed Library! What a fun way to support pollinators, participate in a sharing economy, and make neighborhoods more beautiful! 🐝🌻
Inspired? Swap seeds with friends and family or donate extras to your local library!🌱
Fun fact: Many of the seeds in
this library are native flowering plants, which help bees, butterflies, birds,
and other pollinators thrive. Donating native seeds gives other people a chance to help spread these much-needed pollinator-friendly plants!
For more information about Tufts` Pollinator Initiative, check out their website: Link in bio.
#RecycleSmart #RecycleSmartMA #RecyclingInMA #Reduce #Reuse #Recycle #Recycling #ZeroWaste #GoGreen #EcoFriendlyLiving #Nativeseeds #BuyNothing #Sharingeconomy #RecycleRight #SustainableLiving #littlefreelibrary #nativeplants #pollinatorgarden #bees #seeds #garden
Look what we found: 🔎 Tufts University’s Little Free Seed Library! What a fun way to support pollinators, participate in a sharing economy, and make neighborhoods more beautiful! 🐝🌻
Inspired? Swap seeds with friends and family or donate extras to your local library!🌱
Fun fact: Many of the seeds in
this library are native flowering plants, which help bees, butterflies, birds,
and other pollinators thrive. Donating native seeds gives other people a chance to help spread these much-needed pollinator-friendly plants!
For more information about Tufts` Pollinator Initiative, check out their website: Link in bio.
#RecycleSmart #RecycleSmartMA #RecyclingInMA #Reduce #Reuse #Recycle #Recycling #ZeroWaste #GoGreen #EcoFriendlyLiving #Nativeseeds #BuyNothing #Sharingeconomy #RecycleRight #SustainableLiving #littlefreelibrary #nativeplants #pollinatorgarden #bees #seeds #garden
Congrats, 2024 grads! Celebrate this milestone in style: sustainably. 😎 Try these greener grad party tips:
🎓 Pick reusable/secondhand décor (check local gifting groups for grad-themed items!)
🎓 Serve food on reusable dishware
🎓 Ask guests to bring containers for leftovers
Bonus: Replace individually bottled drinks with a pitcher, jug, or beverage dispenser.
Find sustainability tips for any occasion at RecycleSmartMA.org. 👋
How do you throw celebrations sustainably?
#RecycleSmart #RecycleSmartMA #RecyclingInMA #Reduce #Reuse #Recycle #Recycling #ZeroWaste #GoGreen #EcoFriendlyLiving #ReduceWaste #ShopSecondhand #ChooseReused #BuyNothing #GradParty #Graduation2024 #RecycleRight #SustainableLiving #Reusables
Congrats, 2024 grads! Celebrate this milestone in style: sustainably. 😎 Try these greener grad party tips:
🎓 Pick reusable/secondhand décor (check local gifting groups for grad-themed items!)
🎓 Serve food on reusable dishware
🎓 Ask guests to bring containers for leftovers
Bonus: Replace individually bottled drinks with a pitcher, jug, or beverage dispenser.
Find sustainability tips for any occasion at RecycleSmartMA.org. 👋
How do you throw celebrations sustainably?
#RecycleSmart #RecycleSmartMA #RecyclingInMA #Reduce #Reuse #Recycle #Recycling #ZeroWaste #GoGreen #EcoFriendlyLiving #ReduceWaste #ShopSecondhand #ChooseReused #BuyNothing #GradParty #Graduation2024 #RecycleRight #SustainableLiving #Reusables
Environmental Protection Agency’s
Solid Waste Infrastructure for
Recycling Grant Program