Boston recycling program

Composting is the controlled decomposition of organic material. You create a rich, black soil that is great for your yard and garden. By composting, you reduce your garbage, save money, and enrich the soil.

Named after the Sesame Street character, Project Oscar compost bins give communities a place to drop off residential food scraps for composting. You can learn more about these composting options on the Boston Building Resources website. Check their web sites or store locations for details.

There is a five cent deposit on carbonated soft drink, beer, malt beverage, and sparkling water containers sold in Massachusetts. You may return clean, empty containers to retailers that sell them, or to redemption centers. State law the "Bottle Bill" requires retailers to redeem containers at full deposit value. It allows redemption centers to deduct processing fees from refunds. Please Note: Because redemption center hours and policies can vary widely, MassDEP strongly recommends that you call ahead.

Many manufacturers and retailers of computers, smart phones, TVs and other electronics accept used devices for recycling - often at no charge. Visit the Electronics Take-Back Coalition , manufacturer web sites, or retail store locations for details. Old chemicals, cleaners, paint, pesticides, and other household products can contain hazardous ingredients and need to be handled with care.

These items don't belong in your recycling bin, in the trash, or down the drain. Please store them in a safe location until either your community schedules a hazardous household waste collection, or bring them to a local, regional, or commercial collection facility. At recycling plants, these materials can get tangled in processing equipment, causing damage and worker injuries. Most supermarkets and numerous other retailers accept plastic bags and wraps for recycling at no cost.

Request a sticker. Do not put recyclables in plastic grocery bags. With our free Trash Day app you can search a directory of hundreds of household items to find out if they're recyclable. You can also view a calendar for your home's collection dates, set reminders, and get notifications of schedule changes. Get it on Google Play.

We offer recycling to residents in buildings with seven or more units. Ask your property manager, landlord, or condo trustees to call and work out a recycling program for the building. Your building manager will give you a written notice about a new program. Your building manager needs to buy recycling containers known as carts that range in size from 64 to 96 gallons.

You can mix paper, bottles, cans, and plastic containers in the carts. If you are a business interested in recycling for buildings with seven units or more , you need to contact bigbuildingrecycling cityofboston. The app enables Boston residents to search a directory of hundreds of household items to find out the right way to dispose of them while on the go or at home. App users can also view a calendar for their home's collection dates, set reminders and get notifications of schedule changes.

Most recently the City launched a new citywide education campaign to encourage residents to recycle right. New signage and online materials will help Boston residents better understand what items are acceptable and what cannot be recycled, what kind of containers can be used to recycle, and when events are held for disposing of items like paint and motor oil or hazardous waste. The new campaign builds on the success of the recent "Bring Your Own Bag" campaign, which encourages residents to bring reusable bags when shopping in Boston because plastic bags are no longer allowed in retail stores.