Tip of the Week: Refresh Your Curbside Recycling Knowledge

It’s always good to refresh your knowledge of items you can and cannot put into the curbside recycling carts in Newton. Remember to put ONLY permitted items in. Putting in non-recyclable items contaminates the recyclable materials, and makes it harder and potentially more dangerous for workers who operate the sorting machines. Sometimes, putting an item in the trash is the best option.

Curbside Recycling Guide

YES:

  • White & colored paper (staples, paper clips, and spirals OK)
  • Cardboard flattened & folded
  • Paperboard
  • Phone books & junk mail
  • Magazines & catalogs
  • Books (rip off hard covers)
  • Wrapping paper
  • Newspapers & inserts
  • Empty paper bags
  • Pizza boxes (oil stains OK)
  • Paper cups
  • Aluminum cans, trays, & foil
  • Stiff plastic contains (bottles, jugs, tubs, clamshells) – lids on
  • Clear plastic cups (lids on, no straw)
  • Glass bottles & jars

NO:

  • Trash, liquids, or food
  • Plastic bags, films, or wraps
  • Plastic utensils
  • Bulky plastics (#2 HDPE)
  • Flower pots, garden plastics, colored plastic cups
  • Food or beverage cartons (no aseptic containers)
  • Black plastic
  • Small plastic bottles (smaller than a credit card)
  • Dishes, ceramics & pyrex
  • Clothing, bedding & other textiles
  • Styrofoam
  • Pots/pans/scrap metal
  • Light bulbs
  • Paint cans
  • Shredded paper
 

Many items that cannot be recycled curbside (such as scrap metal, light bulbs, batteries, styrofoam, and textiles) can be recycled via drop-off at the Newton Resource Recovery Center at 115 Rumford Ave. See a comprehensive list of accepted materials here.

More Resources

Tip of the Week: New EV Charging Stations Available at the Cooper Center, Lincoln-Eliot, and NNHS

Learn More

Heavy Summer Energy Use Means Polluting ‘Peaker’ Plants Turn On–Take Simple Steps to Keep Them Off

Learn More

Tip of the Week: Beware of Harm to Bare Feet and Paws on Hot Days

Learn More

Contact Green Newton’s Energy Advocate

Email armela@greennewton.org or click the button to schedule a free 30 min meeting with Armela to answer all your home energy questions!

Download the Green Pages

A local directory of recommended businesses that can help make your home energy efficient including: solar, heat pump, insulation and more!

Get local climate news, action and events

Sign Up for Green Newton’s e-newsletter

"*" indicates required fields

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
First Name