Holiday Recycling Tips for New Bedford Residents
New Bedford –During the holiday season, around 25% more waste is produced than usual. Some holiday traditions create waste, but by reusing, recycling, and choosing experiences over things we can reduce waste.
“Residents may have questions about which items can be recycled curbside or at the Recycling Center (that is the new name for the transfer station) as well as what to do with their Christmas trees after the holiday. We are sharing this information now to help our residents prepare,” said Jennifer Vieira, Acting Director of Facilities & Fleet Management.
Here are a few tips to help ensure holiday waste ends up in the right place:
• Cardboard: Empty & flatten boxes (cut if necessary); place in recycling cart.
Recycle boxes from online shopping, gift boxes, and empty pizza boxes!
Studies show that grease on the box is okay for recycling (food is not, so remove all pizza).
Liners and plastic pizza savers go in the trash. Take boxes that are too large for recycling carts to the cardboard compactor at the Recycling Center.
• Wrapping paper is not recyclable.
If you want to be able to recycle your gift wrap, use newspaper, grocery store flyers, paper bags, or packing paper. Give gifts in reusable bags, jars, or tins.
Bows and ribbons cannot be recycled, reuse when possible. Place greeting cards (no metallic inks, foil, batteries, or glitter), catalogs, bottles, and cans in the recycling cart.
• Styrofoam blocks and string lights: clean Styrofoam blocks can be recycled at the Recycling Center, 1103 Shawmut Avenue. String lights can be placed in the designated cart at the Recycling Center. These items do not belong in the curbside recycling carts.
• Sustainable gifts: Consider environmentally friendly gifts such as experiences, gift cards, products made of recyclable material, reusable items, or handmade presents. Or give the gift of online music lessons (contact the library to borrow a keyboard or ukulele)!
And, once your Christmas tree has been undecorated, here are ways in which it can be properly disposed.
• Christmas tree collection: ABC Disposal will pick up real Christmas trees from January 10 to January 14. During this week only, residents may place trees at the curb by 7 a.m. the weekday after trash and recycling collection.
Please note, if your trash is usually collected on Friday, Christmas trees will only be collected along your route on Monday, January 10th. If your trash is usually collected on Mondays, Christmas trees will only be collected along your route on Tuesday, January 11th and so on. This is the only week for curbside pickup of real Christmas trees.
Please remove all ornaments, stands, lights, and tinsel. Do not place trees in plastic bags. Property owners may be issued a violation notice if trees are placed at the curb any other time or without decorations removed.
• Christmas tree drop-off: Starting on Dec. 26, Christmas trees can be brought to the following locations.
o E Rodney French Blvd., beach parking lot, between Hudson Street & Seymour Street, ends 1/14/22
o Brooklawn Park, near Pony League Field, enter at Irvington Street, ends 1/14/22
o Recycling Center, 1103 Shawmut Avenue, open Monday, Wednesday, Friday, noon to 5:00 p.m. and Saturday, 7:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The Recycling Center will be open 8 a.m. to noon on 12/24/21 and 12/31/21 and closed the rest of those days. Closed 12/25/21 & 1/1/22.
For additional tips, visit New Bedford Recycling on Facebook and Instagram or follow @NBRecycling on Twitter. If you have questions, please call the Department of Facilities and Fleet Management at (508) 961-3008 or email trashandrecycling@newbedford-ma.gov.
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