Recycle Smart

Recent global restrictions imposed on imports of recyclable materials have dramatically affected recycling across the Country. In Massachusetts’ recycling market, tighter end-market specifications for recovered materials have led to higher processing costs and lower revenues. 

For updates on the recycling market CLICK HERE.

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Visit https://recyclesmartma.org/

Recyclopedia

Recyclopedia is a search tool designed by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, where residents can search for hundreds of items (from paper bags to pizza boxes) to find out how to properly manage them.  There is also a video showing the recycling sorting process inside a MRF and answers to frequently asked questions about why and how to recycle smart.


Recyclables, similar to any other commodity, have always been subject to market changes, the implementation of long-term waste management strategies have assisted towns like Shrewsbury in reducing disposal costs, boosting the State economy, and improving the surrounding environment Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection has recognized that the market changes have had real consequences across the Commonwealth which has led to the development of the Recycling Improvement in Quality Kit (“Recycling IQ Kit”).

The Recycling IQ Kit is indented to help municipalities and their residents on education on how to better recycle in order to remove contaminants from the recycling stream and make those materials more attractive to the world’s commodity markets.

contaminants

The Town of Shrewsbury is pleased to announce it received a $40,000 grant from the State to implement the Recycling IQ-Kit in our community. Our residents are eager to recycle, but at times, recycling can be confusing and putting unwanted items in a recycling container can increase costs. For example, plastic bags from the grocery store cannot be included in the Town’s dual-stream curbside recycling program to the surprise of many. 

The grant funding will empower Shrewsbury to further improve our residential recycling in such a manner that boosts the local economy and sustains our community. We look forward to working collectively with MassDEP and are excited to utilize their Recycling IQ Kit to provide our residents with the outreach they need to recycle more effectively.

Recycling Smart