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SalemRecycles Annual Clothing and Textile Recycling Drive
Saturday November 19, 2016!

Get ready for the holidays by cleaning out your closets the green way-via the SalemRecycles annual clothing and textiles event, Saturday, November 19th, at the Riley Plaza parking lot from 8 am - 3 pm.  
SalemRecycles committee member Lynn Murray accepts a donaton

(Across from the Sa lem Post Office at
2 Margin Street--look for a big Goodwill truck.)

It's easy. Just drive in and drop off your textiles. Enthusiastic volunteers will be available to help, and you can get a tax receipt receipt from Goodwill.
 
What is accepted? More than you would think! Hate those old curtains? Throw them in along with c lothing, sneakers, shoes, boots, slippers, belts, ties, purses, pillows, bedding (comforters, sheets, blankets), table linens, draperies, towels and stuffed animals.

Items can be in almost any condition--beat up, moth-eaten, torn, and stained. But, they must be clean, dry and odor free! Only have one sock or one shoe? No problem! Holes in your sweaters? Again, no problem.   
 
What is not accepted? NO carpets, NO rugs, NO bric-a-brac, NO oil rags, and absolutely NO damp, wet or mildewed items. 
 
What happens to all this stuff? It will all be reused--either sold in Goodwill stores or shredded and recycled into other items.   

Questions?  Call 978-619-5679 or view the flyer at greensalem.com. For more information about the problem of textiles in the waste stream, click here.
Salem City Council Votes to Reduce Use of Plastic Bags
Plastic bags look like jelly fish in the water and sea turtles mistake them for food.  
Single use plastic bags create problems for the city in many ways. They're bad for the sea life, they litter the streets and get caught in trees, and they really muck up the recycling machinery.

Kudos to the Salem City Coun cil for taking the courageous step of passing a plastic bag reduction ordinance last week.

Salem is the 40th community in Massachusetts to reduce the use of plastic bags. The ordinance will go into effect in January, 2018, giving residents the opportunity to collect reusable bags and merchants the opportunity to use up their inventory. Produce bags, newspaper bags & dry cleaner bags will still be available. Only bags used for "the purpose of carrying away goods from the point of sale" will have to be reusable.
 
The moving force behind this effort were two high school interns working with Salem Sound Coastwatch's "Talking Trash for Clean Oceans" marine debris prevention program. Tori Kako, now a student at Salem State University, and Lisa Nyguyenhoang, now a student at Merrimack College took on this challenge as  their community service project. Never underestimate the power of committed youth!
  Additional Noteworthy Info.... 
  • Pumpkins are compostable! Throw them into your compost bin. They'll be turned into earth. It's the ultimate reuse.
     
  • 2017 Recycling calendars are being sent out this month in water/sewer and trash bills. If you don't get one, they will also be available at City Hall. Salem's new recycling bins
  • Salem recently debuted new trash and recycling bins for public spaces! The blue bins are for single stream recycling. Everything that can be recycled can be placed in them.
     
  • Last but not least.... do not put any plastic bags  or plastic film in your curbside toter.  EVER. Under no circumstances. Not for any reason. (Are we making ourselves clear?) Plastic bags and plastic film get caught in the gears of the recycling sorting machines and break the equipment. This is a huge problem.
Plastic bags encase sorting gears of recycling machinery

Workers clearing the gears

 
Thank You for Your Recycling Enthusiasm!
SalemRecycles is excited to have you join us at all of our upcoming events!
Know someone who would like to get involved?
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