Recycling

For example:

Shipping boxes, cereal boxes, egg cartons, paper towel and toilet paper rolls.

Boston Recycling tips:

Flatten the boxes to save room in your bin. Make sure everything is clean and dry. No waxy coatings, please!

For example:

Office paper, newspaper, paper bags, magazines, junk mail

Boston Recycling tips:

Everything should be clean and dry. Staples and envelope windows are OK. No books please! (Try donating them instead)

For example:

Plastic drink bottles, milk jugs, yogurt cups, tubs and lids, and shampoo bottles.

Boston Recycling tips:

Make sure everything is clean and dry. To save room in your bin, squish the bottles. Put the caps back on so they won’t slip through the cracks in our equipment. No bags or other plastics please! (Bags can often be returned to your local grocery store)

For example:

Soda and beer cans, soup and vegetable cans, foils

Boston Recycling tips:

All must be empty, clean, and dry. Ball up your clean foil. No miscellaneous scrap metal items please! (Take those to a scrap yard)

For example:

Beer bottles, other beverage bottles, pickle jars

Boston Recycling tips:

All containers must be empty, clean, and dry. No pyrex, ceramics, or window glass please! (Broken items belong in the trash; donate unbroken items)

WHY NOT:

They wrap around and damage the sorting equipment.

INSTEAD: 

Recycle your bags at a participating grocery or retail store.

Plastic bags don’t belong in your recycling bin, but you can recycle them at participating grocery and retail stores. You will notice that many stores have a bag collection bin in their entry area. Another great option is to bring reusable bags when you shop. Do not put your recyclables in plastic bags, they will not be recycled. 

WHY NOT:

Black plastics are unable to be identified by recycling equipment and end up in the trash. 

INSTEAD:

Place black plastics in the trash. Bring your own reusable container, encourage your local food service establishments to use recyclable, reusable or compostable serviceware. 

WHY NOT: 

Anything under 2 inches by 2 inches will fall through the sorting equipment.

INSTEAD: 

Bring your own reusable cutlery and straws! Place the disposable ones and other small items in the trash. A great way to keep small objects like plastic utensils and straws out of the recycling stream is to not use them at all! 

WHY NOT:

Styrofoam breaks apart into very very small pieces that can not be sorted by equipment. Also, Styrofoam is often soiled with food, so it is not able to be recycled. 

INSTEAD:

Ask your local restaurants to say no to Styrofoam or bring your own takeout container. 

WHY NOT:

They damage sorting equipment at recycling facilities. 

INSTEAD:

Donate them through a local clothing drive, drop box, reuse store, or sign up for a home pickup. Check out our Boston Circular Economy Directory for more information.

WHY NOT:

They wrap around and damage the sorting equipment.

INSTEAD:

Place your unwanted cords, ropes, hoses, clothing hangers, and other tanglers in the trash.

VHS tapes are another surprisingly common tangler at our recycling plants. VHS tapes do not belong in your recycling bin!

EXAMPLES:

Pots and pans, springs, pipes, and car parts. 

WHY NOT:

They damage the sorting equipment.

INSTEAD:

Look up your local scrap metal recycler.

WHY NOT:

Batteries don’t belong in your recycling bin because they contain materials that are toxic if not properly dealt with. 

Batteries can cause fires if not disposed of correctly. Here’s how to handle and dispose of each type of battery. 

INSTEAD:

NON-HAZARDOUS BATTERIES

These battery types no longer contain mercury and can be disposed of in regular trash. 

Button: These batteries are about 1/3” across. They are commonly found in hearing aids. 

Traditional Everyday (AA, AAA, C, D, 9V): These batteries are single use, alkaline batteries. 

HAZARDOUS BATTERIES

Please put tape on battery terminals and bring to a local retailer or one of Boston’s Household Hazardous Waste Day’s for proper and safe disposal.

Lithium-Ion Rechargeable: These batteries are typically found in cell phones, laptops, and small power tools. If damaged, they can be extremely flammable. 

Rechargeable AA, AAA, C, D, 9V (Ni-Cad): Please do not put any rechargeable batteries in the trash or recycling. They may contain heavy metals that pose risks to human health and the environment. 

Lithium Primary: These batteries come in a variety of household sizes, including flat nickel-shaped batteries that may not be labeled as lithium. Do not put lithium batteries in the trash or recycling as they can be flammable when damaged or defective. Please put tape on terminals and handle with care. 

Lead Acid Automotive or Sealed: These batteries are commonly found in vehicles, lawnmowers, and some power tools. Leaking lead acid batteries are considered hazardous waste and should be handled with caution. 

WHY NOT:

They reduce the recyclability of other items.

INSTEAD:

Drop off your food waste with our Project Oscar community compost program. 

WHY NOT:

They get broken during sorting. Batteries and chemicals are unsafe for our workers.

INSTEAD:

Bring your unwanted or broken electronics to our Household Hazardous Waste Days. You can also check the Boston Reuse and Donation Directory for local organizations that resell, donate, or recycle electronics.