Curbside Recycling - Recycle Right with Recycle IQ

Your How to Guide to Recycle Right in Newburyport
Oops Tag

Recycling has gotten more complex and the Recycle Improve Quality (Recycle IQ) is here to help.

Our education campaign has many facets designed to help you recycle smart – and save Newburyport fines from processing facilities and thus tax dollars.

Recycling Smart means recycling EVERYTHING you should, in the correct way, and NOTHING that you shouldn’t. “Contaminated recycling” means something is in a cart that is either not clean or shouldn’t be there at all – and contaminated recycling costs the city money, both short term and long term.

Did you find an "Oops Tag" on your Recycling Cart today?

The cart was tagged because materials that don't belong in a recycling cart were found in the cart. Look at which boxes are checked off on your Oops tag, take those materials out and keep them out.

Ooops card

Here are things that don't belong in the cart:

  • BAGGED RECYCLABLES in plastic bags--take them out of the bags and either take the bag back to the super market to recycle or throw the bag away.

  • NO PLASTIC BAGS in the recycling cart, that includes supermarket bags, bread bags, chip bags, plastic film that comes wrapped around bottled water, six pack plastic rings.  Either take the bags and wrappings back to the super market to recycle or throw them away.

  • YUCK Includes food, liquids, used paper towels and used paper plates and used utensils, bottoms of pizza boxes with cheese and grease, diapers.  Recyclables need to be clean and dry.  Rinse them out, don't leave food in them.  This will make the cart less attractive to pests.

  • CLOTHES Any clothing, sheets, shoes and accessories like belts, hats etc.  Ripped, stained or torn the textile recyclers want them--just make sure they are clean and dry. Keep them out of your recycling cart.

  • TANGLERS are things like hoses, wires, chains, electronics' wires and cords, plastic strapping, hangers.  They are a real danger, getting caught in machinery.  Throw them in the trash!

    OTHER – too often we are seeing Styrofoam, to-go coffee cups, postage mailers, planters, straws, paper towels/tissues/paper napkins --things that fit in the cart but absolutely don't belong there.

    The back side of the card shows what can be recycled.  

Need an easier way to remember?

The only materials that belong in the curbside recycling carts are empty bottles, jars, and containers made of metal, plastic and glass from the kitchen, laundry and bath, and paper and flattened cardboard.  

We believe deeply in diverting waste whenever possible to lessen our environmental footprint. But, unless you are absolutely certain that something is recyclable, put it in the trash instead. Think – “When in doubt, throw it out!” 

Why is this happening?

Not so long ago, China was developing its recycling industry, and due to incredibly cheap labor and many other factors, sought and paid for much of the United States’ recycling material. The returning empty shipping containers that brought Chinese goods to our shores was a cheap way to get our recycling to them, and they were happy to have our material. However, their industry has developed – and it is thought that our recycling material has gotten less “pure” through single stream and general lack of attention from our citizenry. Thus, China has started refusing many of our material streams and has set “drastic” (but overdue!) limits on the amount of acceptable contamination in our loads. 

This, and other factors, have brought trash disposal and responsible recycling to the forefront of many local governments, and Newburyport is no exception. 

During our recent requests for proposals for new hauling, collection, and disposal contracts, Newburyport saw a drastic increase in pricing. Partly in response to the factors above and in response to increasing fines for contaminated loads, Newburyport applied for and received a second grant from Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection to roll out an awareness and education program called Recycle Improve Quality – or Recycle IQ for short. This grant enables Newburyport to refresh our CityOfNewburyport.com/recycleright website, send out postcards with information, send out additional education personnel, and create a program to enable home visits to help households and families learn to recycle right – to be better stewards of the environment and Newburyport’s tax dollars.

What can you do to help? 

  • Recycle everything you can - and nothing that you shouldn’t. If you are unclear on what is what, visit the website or email us at the email address below with questions. Better yet, invite a Toward Zero Waste Newburyport representative for a home visit to help you and your whole family understand what goes where! Email us at the email below to schedule a home visit – and invite your neighbors! Responsible waste management saves everyone money!

  • Watch your postbox for (another) valuable postcard that helps determine what goes in recycling carts – and what doesn’t

  • Make sure your recycling is “clean” – rinse food containers!
  • Talk to your neighbors! Recycling right is good for Newburyport’s environment and budget!
  • Use a permanent marker to put your street number and street name on your recycling cart. This helps our cart checkers with their rounds to note households who might need more education.