An Update from the City of Newton DPW
Sustainable Materials Management Division
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Resource Recovery Center Updates
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Appointments can be scheduled by calling Customer Service at:
617-796-1000 Monday through Friday between 8:30am and 5pm.
The Resource Recovery Center hours available for appointment are 6:30am to 3:45pm Tuesday through Friday. Saturdays will remain closed until further notice.
Residents can expect to confirm their appointment time with the attendant at the gate. Only one vehicle per appointment is allowed. Residents without an appointment will not be able to enter the site and will be asked to come back when they have made an appointment.
We greatly appreciate everyone’s patience and cooperation with the new appointment system.
Goodwill, the Swap Shop, and the Paint Shed are closed until further notice.
As a reminder, the Resource Recovery Center only takes
recyclable materials
. No wood furniture or overflow household trash are accepted at the site.
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Household Hazardous Waste Collection Event
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We are excited to announce that the first Household Hazardous Waste collection event of the year will take place on
Thursday, July 16
th
by appointment only. Appointments can be scheduled beginning June 19 by calling Customer Service at: 617-796-1000, Monday through Friday between 8:30am and 5pm. Appointment times for the event are between 7am-3pm.
Residents can expect to confirm their appointment time and verify proof of residency with the attendant at the gate. Only one vehicle per appointment is allowed. Residents without an appointment will not be able to enter the site and will be asked to come back after they have made an appointment.
This event may fill up on appointments due to high demand. We will be having more HHW events in 2020, however, the next event date is to be determined. We appreciate your patience while we navigate staffing and safety issues during these unprecedented times.
What is accepted at household hazardous waste events?
Household Products: Cleaners, aerosols, solvents, pest control, floor & furniture polishes, disinfectants, houseplant chemicals, spot remover, silver & copper polish
Paint Products: Oil & lead based paints, stain, varnish, thinners, adhesives
Auto Products: Antifreeze, gasoline, waxes, polishes, used motor oil
Outdoor Products: Pesticides, weed killers, fungicides, fertilizers, pool chemicals, insect & rodent killers
Miscellaneous: Nail polish & remover, glue, mothballs, artist & hobby supplies, photo chemicals, chemistry sets, flea collars and flea shampoos
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What is Compost?
Compost is organic material made by microorganisms found in nature that can be added to soil. Currently, over 25% of the trash stream is food waste that could be composted.
Why is Composting Important?
- It’s good for the environment. Composting is often the highest and best use for food waste from our homes. Through composting, a new resource is created instead of the water and nutrients in food waste being lost through disposal.
- Save time and money. Using compost in a home garden reduces soil and fertilizer purchases. Composting can also reduce disposal costs. Plus, when you get food waste out of your trash, you will most likely be able to take the trash out less frequently.
- Enrich the soil. Compost reduces soil erosion by improving soil structure and adds essential nutrients to the soil, which helps plants become more resistant to pests. Compost also retains moisture longer than soil. This helps to grow trouble-free plants with less watering, fertilizer, or pesticides.
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Composting Basics
Composting requires four basic ingredients:
- "Browns" – leaves, woodchips, and compostable paper. These carbon-rich materials are slow to break down.
- "Greens" – food scraps, grass clippings and coffee grounds. These nitrogen-rich materials are quick to break down.
- Water – if using an open bin, rain will suffice; if using a bin with a cover, add water after turning the compost.
- Oxygen (air) – turning a compost pile replenishes oxygen.
Do not put meat, seafood, or dairy products into your backyard compost pile. Egg shells are ok to include, but they don't break down very quickly.
Steps for successful backyard composting:
- Collect food waste in your kitchen using a kitchen scrap bucket or other vessel. Empty the vessel into your compost bin every 2-4 days.
- Aim for a 3:1 ratio of browns to greens; this does not need to be perfect. Many households generate more yard waste than food waste. In this case, it is easy to achieve roughly a 3:1 ratio.
- Alternate layers of browns and greens over time.
- When there’s at least 2 layers, turn the compost with a hand tiller or pitchfork. Turning the compost pile can be done infrequently, once every 1-2 months during spring, summer, and fall.
- After turning the compost pile, wet the pile with water.
- Harvest compost 1-2 times per year by opening up the bin and digging out the material at bottom of the compost bin/pile.
Compost Bin Options in Newton
The City of Newton offers
two compost bin options
to residents for just $25 each. MassDEP grant funding supports the price reduction. There is also a kitchen scrap bucket available. These items are available for purchase
online
. Both compost bin styles are easy to assemble and allow for efficient, aerobic composting. They are made from a minimum of 50% post-consumer recycled plastic. The kitchen scrap collection bucket is handy to use for transport out to the compost bin.
Please schedule an appointment to pick up your compost bin at the Resource Recovery Center by calling Customer Service at: (617) 796-1000.
Bin assembly:
Troubleshooting Compost Issues
Collecting food scraps in the kitchen:
- To avoid odors and indoor pests (e.g., fruit flies) entirely: store food scraps in the refrigerator or freezer before taking them out to your bin.
- Drain wet items such as teabags and coffee grounds well before putting them in your bin.
Backyard composting:
- If your compost isn’t breaking down at all, turn it and add water.
- If your compost smells sour or rotten, mix in more dry material such as leaves into the pile and turn it. Wait 1-2 weeks. Repeat the process until the pile no longer smells sour or rotten. Do not add more water until after the pile no longer smells bad.
Curbside Compost Pick-Up
If your home doesn't have outdoor space, or backyard composting is just not your jam, we encourage curbside compost collection. The City of Newton has partnered with
Black Earth Compost
who offers a subscription to weekly curbside food waste collection. Currently, 1,775 Newton households subscribe to this service!
This service collects
all food waste
including fruit and vegetable peels, meat/bones, seafood shells, and other kitchen scraps, along with paper towels and paper napkins. Food scraps are composted by Black Earth to become a soil amendment.
In Newton, the cost is $59.99 for six months, plus a one-time starter kit cost of $34, which includes a 13-gallon lockable cart and two rolls of compostable liner bags.
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How do you sort all the waste that arrives in packages/mailers?
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MassDEP shared this helpful infographic to help residents like you sort through what should go in your curbside recycling cart.
- Cardboard boxes, and paper fillers are accepted in Newton's curbside recycling.
- Air pillows, plastic shipping bags, and 100% plastic bubble mailers (e.g., white Amazon bubble mailers) can be recycled at most grocery stores. Note: many retailers are not taking plastic for recycling due to covid-19 precautions - stay tuned for this regular collection to resume.
- Plastic mailers, packing peanuts, and bubble mailers are not accepted in Newton's curbside recycling. They should be reused or go in the trash.
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Shredded paper
Unfortunately, shredded paper is
not
accepted in Newton's curbside recycling program. When paper is shredded, the fibers are cut. This makes it harder for fibers to bind again into new recycled paper. Additionally, anything smaller than 2 inches should not be put into the recycling bin. This is because the sorting machinery will not be able to properly sort it to ensure it does not become a contaminant.
Here are a few ways to manage shredded paper:
- Extend the life by upcyling it. This website lists 10 things you can do with shredded paper.
- Compost it. Place this item in a backyard composter or in your compost subscription bin. If you are backyard composting, aim for 1/3 "green" materials (fruits, vegetables) and 2/3 "brown" materials (leaves, branches). Remember to turn the compost pile regularly. For more information on composting in Newton.
- Save it for a community shredding event such as the Secure Document Shredding event.
- Put it in the trash.
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Reduce Your Waste:
Recycling in the News:
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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 - still taking volunteers for whenever the Swap Shop and the Book Shed can reopen
- 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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