An Update from the City of Newton DPW
Sustainable Materials Management Division
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2020 New Year's Resolution: Cut Your Waste Footprint
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If you’re still deciding what your New Year's resolution should be, here are some strategies to help reduce your waste footprint. Some of these may even help you reach some other common resolutions such as saving money.
Say no to single use plastics.
- Instead of single use items, commit to use durable, washable goods such as: silverware, drinking glasses, water bottles, and to-go mugs.
- Remember to bring your own containers for left overs when dining out to avoid plastic takeout boxes.
Reduce food waste at home.
- Meal plan to create a grocery list to ensure you don't over buy. This will help eliminate the average $1,600 of wasted food from home each year.
- Store your food properly using, Save The Food, to keep your produce fresh and tasty for longer and reference Food Waste Feast to use the food you have instead of throwing it out or composting it.
Start composting.
- Sign up for Black Earth Compost curbside organics collection. There is a one-time starter kit cost of $34, which includes a 13-gallon lockable cart and two rolls of compostable liner bags. Six months of weekly pickups on your trash day costs $59.99. Subscribe for the service.
- For backyard composting, the Newton DPW offers two compost bin options to residents for just $25 each, which are available for purchase at City Hall Customer Service or online. Pick up items at the Newton Resource Recovery Center with proof of payment.
Extend the life of clothing.
- Shop local thrift stores, Poshmark, or Depop first for desired items - good for the environment and your wallet.
- Mend or repair clothing to extend the life of your favorite clothing items. This will benefit the environment and your wallet!
Increase your reuse.
- Take advantage of the reuse options at the Resource Recovery Center by: a) shopping for household goods from the Swap Shop (May-October), (b) find free books from the Book Shed (year-round), and (c) grab free latex paint for small projects (May-October) from the Paint Reuse Shed.
- Bringing your own bags when shopping (and avoid the new $0.10 fee on paper bags in Newton). Store them in your car so you never forget them.
For our New Year's resolution, we are aiming to send this newsletter monthly instead of quarterly.
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Spring Fix-It Clinic
Save the date: Saturday, March 14
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Newton Free Library Makerspace
Learn to fix your broken stuff and have fun doing it. Fixing household items will extend their useful life, thus preventing broken items from being tossed out. Bring your repairable possessions such as a small appliances, toys, bikes, clothing, computers, musical instruments or other broken items and work with a coach who will troubleshoot and help you to repair it. No guarantees, but we’ll do our best to help you get your item up and running again. Sorry, no wooden furniture or jewelry repairs.
Details to follow.
Email
with questions or to volunteer as a coach.
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Sandra Jones repairing a broken fan during the last event in September. Photo credit: Susan Legere.
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Secure Document Shredding and Drug Take-Back Day
Saturday, April 25
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8:00 am - 12:00 pm
Resource Recovery Center
115 Rumford Ave.
Clean out your old files and medicine cabinets.
Shredding is for
RESIDENTIAL
materials only (no businesses). Staples may be left in documents, and paper bags may be shredded.
Limited to 4 paper boxes OR 8 paper bags per car.
Bring your old or unused prescription medications to be properly disposed of.
NO
liquids, aerosols, or sharps will be accepted. Drive-through service only; we ask that residents remain in their cars during shredding and drug take-back for everyone's safety.
Cosponsored by the Newton Department of Senior Services, the Newton Department of Public Works, the Newton Police Department, and the Newton Department of Health and Human Services.
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*$5 suggested donation for 1-4 paper bags or 1-2 cardboard boxes, $10 suggested donation for 5-8 paper bags or 3-4 cardboard boxes
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Changes to Bulky Waste and White Goods Collection Take Effect on February 1
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Bulk Waste Changes
Starting this Saturday, Feb. 1, residents of Newton will have to pay $20 per item for the curbside collection of “bulkies.” These over-sized items include anything that is too big for your trash cart and cannot feasibly be recycled. Examples include mattresses, wood furniture, rugs, chairs and tables. The new fees will help cover the cost of the service.
Until February 1, a
bulky waste item pickup
can continue to be requested at no cost using the
311 system
, using the
Recycle Right Newton
app, or by calling Newton Customer Service at 617-796-1000, and there is a limit of 5 bulky items per household per week.
Starting February 1, residents can make a bulky item request and pay by credit card through the
online bill pay service
. Alternatively, residents can make the request and pay by cash, check or credit card at Customer Service in Newton City Hall. There will be no limit on the number of bulky items per household per week once the per item fee takes effect. Payments for bulky waste pickup requests received by 10am on Friday will be picked up the following week on your trash day.
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White Goods Changes
Bulky items that are recyclable are known as “white goods” (e.g., a washer or dryer, any large scrap metal item, a refrigerator) and residents of Newton will continue to be charged a fee for curbside pickup but with a different fee structure.
Starting on February 1, white goods pickups will have a $25 fee per item. These requests will continue to be made and paid for using the
online bill pay service
. Alternatively, residents can make the request and pay by cash, check or credit card at Customer Service in Newton City Hall.
Payments for white goods pickup requests received by 10am on Friday will be picked up the following week on your trash day.
The fee for each white goods curbside pickup covers the cost of transportation from the curb to the Resource Recovery Center located at 115 Rumford Avenue.
Please know that residents can continue to bring these items (appliances, scrap metal, etc.) to the Resource Recovery Center themselves for drop-off at no charge.
Another material that falls under the umbrella of white goods is televisions and computer monitors. TV and computer monitor recycling will continue to have a fee but the fee structure is changing. Effective February 1, the cost will be $25 per TV/monitor whether it is picked up at the curb or if residents drop it off at the Resource Recovery Center on Rumford Avenue.
TVs/monitors are the only items that require proof of payment of the $25 fee to drop off at Rumford.
Again, use the online service or come to City Hall to pay.
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Green Cart Chronicle's 2020 Resolution
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Our New Year's Resolution is to increase the frequency of this newsletter from quarterly to monthly. We're adding a monthly poll question to hear from you!
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What topics would you like to see more coverage of in 2020?
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The basics of recycling and managing trash in Newton
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How to manage specific materials (batteries, electronics, etc.)
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Managing textiles, old clothes & accessories
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Recycling industry/market trends or updates
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Circular economy trends or updates
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How other cities handle waste and recycling
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Caps on or Caps off?
For all containers, whether it's a plastic bottle with a plastic cap, or a glass container with a metal cap, the answer is:
CAPS ON
. Lids and caps for all containers should be placed back on before tossing them into your recycling bin.
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Managing Food Waste:
Reduce Your Waste:
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Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
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Never Miss Trash Day Again
USE
RECYCLE RIGHT NEWTON
Want to make managing trash and recycling at home easier? Newton has an app for that.
With the
Recycle Right Newton
App you can:
- Set reminders and view calendar for trash, recycling, and subscription compost pick-ups
- Stay in the loop on collection day delays due to holidays or weather events
- Find the right way to get rid of stuff
- Test your recycling skills with an interactive waste sorting game—fun for kids and adults!
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No smartphone? No problem.
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Thank You for Recycling Right!
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Get involved:
- Volunteer to work at the Swap Shop, the Book Shed, or another project that suits your interests
- Attend a Solid Waste Commission meeting to engage in sustainable materials management policy
- Request a tour for your community group to see where things go after they're picked up from the curb
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Learn about the latest news at City Hall and around Newton. We'll look forward to sharing updates with you!
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City of Newton
Department of Public Works
Sustainable Materials Management Division
1000 Commonwealth Ave
Newton, MA 02459
617-796-1000
recycling@newtonma.gov
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