The state’s recycling acceptance list has changed. As a result, milk, juice, and soup cartons are no longer allowed in green recycling bins. Instead, you should put them in the blue trash bin.
Recycling sorting centers don’t want these cartons because:
- Cartons are difficult to recycle because they are multi-layered.
- Cartons can contaminate other recycling streams, such as paper and plastic.
Newton households have boosted the City’s “Recycling IQ” thanks to a public education campaign. Better sorting of recycling and trash has resulted in less recycling “contamination,” saving the City an average of $6,550 in fines. Let’s keep up the good work!
Some of the things that shouldn’t go in the recycling bins: plastic bags, black plastic food trays, food, Styrofoam, medicine bottles, wood, clothing, tissues, paper towels, and napkins.
Use Newton’s Recycle Right tool (get the free app on your smart phone) to search for the best way to manage specific items.