The city of Newton is sending this letter to residents…
Dear Newton Resident
We need your help.
The City of Newton’s recycling contains 18% contamination. Contractually, the City is required to have a contamination rate of less than 10%. As a result, the City was charged $6,120 in fines last month and we have paid $65,611 in fines so far in 2018. This is a direct impact Newton is facing due to the global recycling markets downturn you may have heard about this year.
The City of Newton is embarking on a focused initiative to educate our residents and lower our contamination rate. We received a grant from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection to fund a robust education campaign, help us inspect what’s in the recycling carts and to communicate that information to residents.
Beginning next week, on Monday, October 1, we will be performing curbside inspections of residential recycling carts. Contaminated carts will first receive a warning and specific feedback on what issue was found.
If, after a warning is issued, a cart is found to again contain contamination, it will not be collected that week. A tag indicating the issue found will be left on the cart handle and we will also send a follow up letter. Once the issue has been corrected, the cart will be collected the following week.
We know that recycling has become increasingly complex in recent years and that our education efforts have not been effective in keeping up with this growing complexity.
Contamination in our recycling typically comes in two forms:
- Materials that belong in the green cart but are not prepared correctly. For example, contamination occurs when there is still food in a plastic container or a half-filled bottle of juice. Containers should be empty and clean (just a quick rinse) before being placed in the green cart.
- Materials that do not belong in the green cart. The most common contaminant is plastic bags. Other contaminants include other plastic film (such as the wrap around a case of bottled water), food, liquids, textiles, toys and electronics.
The only materials that belong in the green cart 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 in the green cart, put it in the trash instead. Think – “When in doubt, throw it out!”
Please contact me if you have any questions about this new initiative. I know it will be difficult for you if we reject your cart because of contaminated materials and we don’t pick it up for a week.
For more information about how to recycle correctly, check out the mobile Recycle Right Newton app or get information at our website: www.newtonma.gov/recycling. Additionally, please find the enclosed brochure describing Newton’s curbside guidelines.
Thank you for your help and your commitment to a more sustainable Newton.
Sincerely,
Waneta Trabert
Director of Sustainable Materials Management
617-796-1000
P.S. Excess recyclables can be taken to the Newton Resource Recovery Center at 115 Rumford Avenue in Auburndale.
Unfortunately it turns out that the recycling market was always an illusion – at first a scam by the Mafia, who was dumping it all in landfills, and now a scam by China, who was weaning us along for years and has now cleverly instituted an impossible purity requirement which they know will cause the whole market to collapse.
One suggestion. The City of Boston has a diagram on the top of every recycling barrel that clearly and succinctly outlines the items that are and are not recyclable. Nobody can dump anything into that barrel without seeing these instructions and they will have to see it or at least be aware of it each time they place something in the trash.
We always have difficulty effectively communicating various important and not so important items to the residents of this City. I’m a member of the Newton Highlands Area Council and can readily attest to how frustratingly difficult this can be at a time when people are bombarded with so much information from so many sources. This would be a constant reminder.
The City signed a bad contract, and the taxpayers are getting screwed. That’s an old story. But I find it incredibly cowardly for Newton’s elected “leaders” to hide behind a city employee when it comes time to deliver the bad news.
So, I got the letter and replied immediately to Ms. Trabert, as I did not know why I got targeted. I’m glad to do my part, I just need to know what I did wrong. The big global questions is whether to trash the peanut butter jar or spend 3 gallons of water trying to get it clean!
@Mike Striar – You don’t have to like our elected officials, but please check before making accusations. I got an email from Mayor Fuller with detailed information. Not hiding behind city employees.
This was included in the mayor’s newsletter without Ms Trabert’s name and number attached.
Why are Newton’s recycling containers green instead of the nearly-universal blue? I can easily imagine people making occasional mistakes based on that alone — I’ve caught myself a few times, and I’m sure I’ve failed to catch myself other times.
Our neighbors routinely put their garbage in our trash cans, both blue and green. We have asked them nicely not to do this. Now I am worried we are going to get fined. Any helpful suggestions from V14?
Newton Runner, we sometimes have passersby that throw garbage in our recycling bin. (Or our yard waste bin which seems even more ridiculous) So this makes me nervous about getting fined.
These inspections may have a negative effect of people throwing everything in the blue bin, just to be safe.
I can’t imagine the city will issue fines. At this time, the only consequence of having unauthorized items in the green bin is — for a week — the city will not collect the green bin. The city also will provide educational material in an effort to correct the missteps. I think that is a reasonable approach. If fines are somehow in the cards at a later time, however, the city should know that I will throw everything into the blue bin and leave the green bin in my driveway. I’m sure I’m not the only one…
@Meredith– I can only comment on the information I have at the time. My comment was based on the letter from Ms. Trabert that was posted with this thread. If the Mayor took responsibility for this problem through a separate correspondence, then she did the right thing. The issue at hand–contaminants in the recycling bins–was as predictable as yesterday’s weather. So I’m glad the Mayor took responsibility for the foolish contract the City signed.
I totally support the objective here and understand that there’s nothing nefarious going on.
But am I the only one who is little creeped-out by the idea of government looking into our trash bins?
On the other hand, it’s great that the city has received a grant to better educate us all about what is and isn’t acceptable for recycling. I still recall when then Mayor Cohen first introduced paper recycling here with a campaign saying “If you can rip, it you can recycle it.”
Clearly it’s become more complicated since then and an information campaign is needed.
I got one of the notices this summer- I have no idea what was in it that would have prompted that- I checked inside- and had no warning that such notices would be in effect. This was in mid-August, and I should add that the bin was not emptied- so much for “warnings”).
Since then I have taken extra care not to put plastic bags et al in the bin.
Also, I recycled the notice, as it was paper.
3 or 4 years ago, in a joint effort among the City’s Environmental Dept., Green Newton and Whole Foods Market, stickers with dos and don’ts were printed and volunteers walked the neighborhoods on collection days to place them on the green bins we encountered. The stickers have long since worn off. Perhaps a new effort with more durable stickers would help.
@Scott. I love peanut and almond butter, but now trash the empty jars. I used to put the empties in the dishwasher to clean, but this never seemed to get the job done.
Here’s another insolvable dilemma. I’m not entirely certain, but I believe that recycling percentages are based on weight rather than volume and having a cat poses a particular challenge. I dump a very heavy bag of kitty litter in the trash every other week and this alone exceeds the weight of all the paper, cans, bottles etc. that wind up in the green recycling barrel. Our cat is a sweet, gentle and very spoiled stray that we brought back from Bermuda six or seven years ago. She’s now an indoor cat and we intend to keep her.
So the state gave Newton a grant literally to individually inspect the recycle bins of 31,139 households? I feel like there has to be a better way for both the state and Newton to spend that money. I struggle to see what long-term impact this will have on people’s recycling, other than being a short-term potential nuisance.
@Bob Burke: we use flushable litter, which is more expensive but also better for the kitties’ and peoples’ health than clay-based litter. Sierra Club magazine warns, though, that not all sewage treatment plants are set up to handle pathogens in non-human waste. I like to think, though, that those giant eggs on Deer Island will take care of whatever bugs we send them.
Do communities with separated recycling have the same problem? I’ve never been sold on mixing paper with plastic and glass recycling.
Greg, government employees will be picking through the bins – that was my first thought. Both because of an already small privacy window and identity theft. I shred anything that has my ss# or other identifying words on it. But most people do not. Is this even legal?
An education campaign is the best way to go – along with new stickers. And I agree there many better ways for the state to use this money.
I appreciate this blog posting.
It contains succinct information that residents need to work together to achieve multiple goals: to get some recycling of our trash accomplished; to prevent the town from having to pay fines (using, as some commentators enjoy reminding us, our tax dollars to do so), and maybe being able to get this squared away sufficiently that we can pay attention to some other things that also want consideration.
I’m afraid I have neither criticism towards the city’s government or administration, nor unnecessary suggestions for what else needs to be done.
I think the city’s request to us is simple and straightforward enough that cooperation is not unpleasant. Then, after seeing how things go, if there’s still problems, maybe talk about them then.
@Jim- I think the point of the city’s inspections is to educate people,not fine them. I often hear people say ‘I put it in my recycling and the city took it, so it must be fine’. I think this is a way for a city to give fedback. It someone puts their recycling out in plastic bags every week and it gets picked up that way, until they are told recycling is not allowed in plastic bags, how would they know to stop?
Recycling rules are very confusing. Peanut butter jars have to be clean, but “empty” aerosol cans can go in the recycling, as can empty dry trash cans?
I second the comment that other people put their trash in my barrels (an issue on busy pedestrian streets). My problem is other people’s plastic bags…full of dog poo. Yes, people stick that in my recycling can. I can imagine the letter I’m going to get!
I am taping the instructions on my can:
The only materials that belong in the green cart are empty bottles, jars, and containers made of metal, plastic and glass from the kitchen, laundry and bath, and paper and flattened cardboard.
Thanks!
@Andrea
Andrea,
You wrote, “I think the point of the city’s inspections is to educate people,not fine them.”
Please be sure you understand what I wrote.
I wrote, “[This blog posting] contains succinct information that residents need to work together to achieve multiple goals… to prevent the town from having to pay fines…”
Please also review the opening paragraph from the posting to understand that the town is responsible for fines resulting from citizens’ failure to follow recycling guidelines (“The City of Newton’s recycling contains 18% contamination. Contractually, the City is required to have a contamination rate of less than 10%. As a result, the City was charged $6,120 in fines last month and we have paid $65,611 in fines so far in 2018.”)
I did not indicate that the city would be fining residents, nor does the original blog posting.
@Eileen Sandberg
Eileen, you state, “Recycling rules are very confusing.”
You then go on to demonstrate that you understand one of the rules: “Peanut butter jars have to be clean, but “empty” aerosol cans can go in the recycling…”
There appears to be no confusion.
You also state, ” My problem is other people’s plastic bags…full of dog poo…”
That is not an issue being dealt with in this blog posting, or in this conversation. It is a separate – and frankly, unrelated problem.
This blog posting is regarding homeowners’ and residents’ management of recycling.
It is not an article regarding the problem of fecal contamination from people bringing their companion animals on public property, or peoples’ practices with animal feces.
I frankly consider the public health ramifications of domestic animal waste contaminating public property serious enough issue to warrant its own separate topic.
@Jims – dog poo is most certainly not a separate problem when passers-by leave the bags in your recycling bin.
@Meredith
You write, “…dog poo is most certainly not a separate problem when passers-by leave the bags in your recycling bin.”
This article is directed to residents and their personal practices with their refuse, and the need to educate residents to the guidelines for recycling in Newton, and some of the reasons why reiteration of the guidelines is important at this time.
People discarding of animal waste inappropriately is not a part of the issue this article is identifying. And it is only part of this conversation because of another discussant’s tangential introduction of the topic.
Inappropriate disposal of animal waste is not specifically regulated in Newton, to the best of my knowledge. The problem of people inappropriately disposing of animal waste is likely best addressed under state laws regulating illegal dumping.
As is it insufficiently related to the topic of this posting, and it is a significant problem in its own from a public health perspective, I would recommend creating a separate topic for consideration of issues surround animal waste in our community.
See my video of what enforcement looks like in Lowell. They don’t actually check every bin — they check the ones that have obvious issues, i.e. overfull, or with contaminants visible. Which made it seem like a lot could get past them if you didn’t attract their attention. http://www.lowellsun.com/news/ci_32010799/careless-recycling-costing-us-all
I’m not sure it’s logistically possible for the city to check every bin; perhaps it will be spot checking, or focused on routes that have the most contamination?
What I’ve been wondering is whether I can recycle clear stiff plastic packaging that looks like it should be recyclable, but doesn’t have a triangle w/number. With no number, I’ve been putting in trash, but apparently I’m not the only person who wishes I could put them in recycling. I asked at the Green Newton booth at Newtonville Village Day. They didn’t know, and before I’d even turned around, someone else walked up and asked the same question. Anyone know?
Thanks for sharing that video Julia. Someone ought to get those inspectors some gloves.
@Jims – it’s relevant to the concerns expressed in this thread of getting in trouble because of what other people throw into one’s recycling bin.
@Jims – I was commenting on a post from @Jim, I was not refererencing your post at all
@Meredith
You write, “[the issue of dog waste] is relevant to the concerns expressed in this thread of getting in trouble because of what other people throw into one’s recycling bin.”
Fair enough; as a specific possible event, let us consider it.
I don’t know how much “trouble” a resident can expect to get in. The article outlines several levels of penalty, none financial, and mostly intended to encourage compliance.
But, trouble is trouble.
One would hope that, as the inspectors are reviewing contents of bins, a sense will be developed for the difference between a resident who needs a reminder about what not to toss in recycling, versus something that would more clearly be something tossed in by a passer-by.
Since most residents don’t bag their dog’s waste, then leave a single bag at the very top – or very bottom of the bin, it would not be hard to recognize.
One could also predict that regardless the hope above, the inspectors will not apply discretion, and will simply consider what’s in the bin, regardless its non-residential origin.
So it goes.
If only there was some way to communicate with the people doing the inspections, or their department, to voice the concern….
Andrea on September 29, 2018 at 11:13 pm
@Andrea- You write, “I was commenting on a post from @Jim, I was not refererencing your post at all”
It took me an embarrassingly long time to figure out where I went wrong.
This was really all about me missing a single “s”….
@Jims – no worries, I was trying to be positive about the city’s approach and was not trying to attack anyone.
A question: Are the plastic caps from recyclable plastic bottles etc. also recyclable even if they’re clearly made from a different kind of plastic and don’t have a recycling symbol of their own? After receiving one of those notices some months ago we’ve tried to be more careful about what and how we recycle, but the city’s info doesn’t specifically address the issue of caps.
Part of the problem is the way curbside recycling with the green and blue barrels was introduced to Newton and the recycling goals that were drummed into us then and when recycling first came to Newton before that. I was a member of the Solid Waste Commission’s Committee on Composting at the time. The overall recycling goal was to achieve a 50% recycling rate by a certain date that I now forget. I know that many people (including me) would place almost anything in the recycling barrel if there was even the slightest chance that it could be recycled. The focus was far more on the 50% goal than some of the specifics on what should be recycled and not recycled. I figured that folks on the receiving end would be able to sort the good from the bad. The good news is that we now have a much better idea of what should and should not be recycled and I also hope that we have more reasonable expectations about realistic percentages.
@Greg — It was only a few years ago that all our recycling was in open bins, and had a degree of visual inspection weekly as part of the “government” collection process. That openness led to a degree of accountability.
In that era there was also unlimited trash volume per household. I’m sure some large families now often fill their fixed-sized blue bin (particularly if they miss a pick up). Limiting trash volume, while great for encouraging recycling, also encourages “aspirational recycling” that ruins the whole recycling stream for the whole community: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/29/climate/recycling-wrong-mistakes.html
The city has had misaligned incentives, as the more the recycling stream weighed without hitting contamination limit the better. I recall on more than one occasion hearing from city employees that rainy trash days were beneficial, as the water-soaked paper in open recycling bins weighed more.
Plastic bags are very confusing to people as they are “plastic”, and often have recycling symbols on them. The thresholds for allowable food contamination have never been well communicated (e.g. the peanut butter jar dilemma).
If the city can get information out to residents to reduce plastic bag/film/food contamination, we’ll likely be in much better shape.
https://therecyclingpartnership.app.box.com/s/axn2u34i2fwvar6300han520nhzdkm7y/file/78010943921
A copy of it is taped inside of one of my kitchen cabinets and I find it very useful.
I had contacted the Mayor in April about this, and a group of us worked on a short email she could have sent to all residents (informing them about the above pdf, the Newton App and the the biggest “offenders” like plastic bags, clothes etc.), and for the life of me I can’t understand why it took 6 months and over $40,000 in additional fines until something was done.
@ Patricia: I would love to see the City have these stickers available to all residents to post on their recycling bin. I loved Green Newton’s stickers – but they were on the small side and now they have worn down.
@Amy – are you referring to the Green Newton all writing, no image stickers? I found those not helpful at all, sorry. I also think that stickers are not working because a) once people are at the bins with all of their recycling, they don’t want to have to go through it, one by one and then take back to the house the items they can’t recycle, and b) the weather will eventually get to them and then the city would have to pay for printing new ones.
I really don’t think it’s too much to ask of citizens to print out a visual guide and put it near where they keep their recycling in the house – a drawer, taped to the inside of a cabinet door etc.
Question: Are the plastic covers that come on soda and milk jars trash? Without clear instructions I have been putting them in the trash. At my work, I can put the covers in the recycle bin, and at my husband’s office he can’t put lids in the recycling.
Question: When I bring my recycling to the curb, and a person from the streets throws their coffee cup/dog waste/other item into my recycling, then I risk non-collection. What incentive to I have to even put out the recycling bin? Might as well only trash everything (not that I would do that, but a concern none the less)
The recent comments above demonstrate the clear need for more clear instructions on dubious cases. Some of the city brochures on recycling are extremely helpful, but unless you’re walking by the DPW door on the first floor of City Hall, you may never see them.
Across Homer Street, the Library has a high number of visitors but many fewer slots for distributing letter sized brochures like the ones at DPW across the street. There used to be another rack of slots for distribution of smaller brochures in the library., but it lacked front coverings so brochures would just fall onto the floor. This defective rack has been gone for serveral weeks but it’s not clear if this is for repair or replacement.
The city should also arrange for distribution of recycling brochures through the wide range of popular sites in the city.
Schools are the most logical. The Waban and Auburndale neighborhood based libraries would also be good sites. The sites were brochures for the Community Education program are available should be used for the recycling brochures as well.
Newton should be shooting for a drastic reduction in the contamination of our waste stream, perhaps as far as the Chinese standard.
@newtonmom Your comment “When I bring my recycling to the curb, and a person from the streets throws their coffee cup/dog waste/other item into my recycling, then I risk non-collection. What incentive do I have to even put out the recycling bin?” is exactly my concern. Our neighbors apparently generate a lot of trash, and they put their excess trash in both our green and blue bins. We have asked them nicely over the years not to do this, but they continue. We have tried to explain, very nicely, about the difference between recyclables and trash – but this still happens. There doesn’t seem to be a solution except to only use the blue garbage bin. Sometimes I look out the window and wonder why both our green and blue bins have the top straight up, overflowing with garbage and then I remember – our neighbor’s overflow.
@NewtonMom – https://therecyclingpartnership.app.box.com/s/axn2u34i2fwvar6300han520nhzdkm7y/file/78010943921. You have a visual there and text.
Plastic caps on milk cartons and soda can be recycled, but they belong ON the bottle (they are small and can otherwise jam the machines. The metal caps of say a coke bottle, or the cap on a jar does not go into recycling.
If you are very motivated, you can download the Newton recycling App, called RecycleRight. Once you input your address you get to a page where you can access the search function and the app will tell you about what to do with an item.
Thanks Patricia — the app is very useful. Surprisingly, the coffee cup that the NY Times article above says is a big no no, is show as recyclable in the app. The picture of the paper cup has a red X over the lid next to it, implying its not OK, but searching for “plastic cup lid”, shows lids as recyclable.
And the app has a game with 5 levels!
I think the best way to address the problem is a pay as you throw for garbage with inspections of recycling using positive reinforcements for compliance.
Not sure if this is possible, but perhaps the city can also work with local grocery stores to bring in more goods with compostable packaging, offering discounts to shoppers purchasing these items through a DEP grant.
Contaminated recycling is a big problem requiring creative solutions.
I had not realized how many people have trouble with neighbors or passers-by putting inappropriate items into their recycling bins. My guess is that the City is not aware of this either. I’d suggest filing 311 complaints as a way of documenting this as well as contacting your City Councilors and letting them know your concerns. This is not a problem individuals can solve on their own.
Good news — our household passed this week’s recycling inspection! Either that or the truck came around before the inspector got here. We’re generally pretty good about recycling and normally I wouldn’t sweat the inspection, in fact I’d kinda look forward to it. But we were away last weekend, with the in-laws up to watch the kids. They didn’t take the garbage and recycling out last Monday. So not only did we have two weeks’ worth of recycling but there was some concern over how well the in-laws did with the separating.
I did see an inspector doing her inspecting. At least I assume that’s who she was. She had that great symbol of authority, a clipboard, and seemed to be in the process of writing up a non-compliant household. I won’t say where, to protect the guilty.
Wow! Surprised by the volume of comments.
No one will be fined, goto jail, or be branded with a scarlet letter (or scarlet recycling icon). 😉
If you get a note, consider it part of the education process.
And the Recyle Right Newton (be sure to include Newton – there is more than 1) is a surprisingly helpful app. Just type in the item in question and it will tell you if it’s compliant or not. I typed in “turd” and it gave an appropriate response.
Thanks for the tip on the app, peeps!
@mlai5241 –
Of course you did 😉
Yikes… These comments do show a need for greater public education… Not simply for recycling.
One can find up-to-date recycling guidelines on the City’s website.
One should never accept municipal law or rules from a source other than the original. Including 3rd party apps (besides, if you hate privacy that much, just post your social security number on here – we’ll take care of the rest), New York Times articles, guidelines posted at ones’ non-Newton workplace, or one’s own wonky impressions.
Additionally, only the municipality has up-to-date information. The nature of the contracts can change – sometimes with frequency – and this means the details of recycling guidelines can change. Only the city is obliged to provide up-to-date information.
When the 3rd-party app (which in two years, will be a year-old memory) fails to reflect up-to-date information, and you get a big fine, where will you lay the blame?
Meanwhile, there is a pretty solid way of knowing the guidelines, unambiguously.
– Any time the guidelines change, the municipality provides that information via mailings to citizens. This has been my experience in Newton, without exception.
– Any time one needs a reminder of the guidelines, the city makes the information ridiculously easy to find. One may telephone the city, and ask, or one may go to the city’s website, which, for those reading and commenting here – should be a cinch.
I don’t know why residents with to make recycling -more- complex; smartphone “apps” – almost always poorly developed and implemented by their third parties, incipiently purposed to harvest personal data from the device, and – I have no idea why – but stocked with, apparently, five games to play? Because though you’re an adult, you’re a child?
It may also be considered that smartphone ownership is something of a luxury; there is a population of residents who do not have smartphones, by choice or by circumstance. My suggestion to go to the website assumes access to a computer with an internet connection, which is also a bit of a luxury. Let’s not make solutions that make rich people look shiny, and poor people feel dumb.
I am surprised by the number of people posting here who express an inability in answering their own questions about recycling.
@Jim. Don’t really understand your comment about the app since it is featured (“Use Recycle Right Newton – Newton’s app to keep you up to date on trash day delays due to holidays or weather events” ) on the very website you encourage people to use – http://www.newtonma.gov/gov/dpw/recycling/default.asp.
@Patricia Loewy
Hi Patricia,
My criticisms against an “apps” are multiple, but my primary reason is that they represent an unnecessary risk and expense. It is doubtlessly provided by a third-party vendor, one which someone has to pay for, perpetually, to use.
Unfortunately, the majority of “apps” are marketing gimicks: they are unesscary for the functions they purport to achieve, and many (a majority) are demonstrated to harvest personal data from the devices they’re installed on, indicating the actual purpose behind marketing any particular “app.”
It could also be observed that, as a marketing gimmick – most “apps” are little more than web-front ends. In other words, the “app” is nothing more than a custom web browser that is specific to one site only.
Why not use a web browser instead, which allows access to ‘all’ sites? With no risk to personal data?
Anyway – I sense that my complaint is tangential to the focus of the chat. Bad habit of mine.
Presume my critique to be too austere to divert further from the focus of the chat.
I’m glad I live in a community where people care enough to have an bit of a chat about these things. Thank you for the chat.