In October, Waste Management informed the city that our green cart contamination rate exceeded the 10 percent limit (by weight) specified in our current contract.  WM informed the City it had conducted 17 separate audits of Newton’s recyclables at its recycling facility from January through Oct. 4, 2017, which showed a contamination rate of 18 percent.

The city is now being charged an extra monthly fee. From November through January, the extra charges amount to $21,740.74.   Major contaminants of recycling carts continue to be plastic bags and film, food and beverage contamination and textiles (clothing).”