Move In, Move Out, Repeat
Dear Smart Recyclers,
This month, we’re talking “move in and move out,” because it’s that time of year!
A big thanks to our friends at the City of Cambridge who allowed us to modify these tips to serve a larger audience.
Every September 1, we see the same thing around Boston, Cambridge, and the surrounding areas: tens of thousands of residents moving in and out of apartments, leaving their things on the curb.
During this hectic time, it’s easy to become overwhelmed, so it’s important to plan ahead so you can take the necessary steps to get rid of things the right way. We understand there’s a lot of planning, packing, and decision-making to do. That’s why we want to give you a hand. Not with that heavy sofa (sorry!), but with some helpful tips to save precious natural resources. Even if you aren’t moving, you’ll likely find the information below helpful. Please forward this on to everyone you think may benefit from it. 🚚
Move-Out & Clean-Out Waste Tips
Taking the first step: If you’re unsure how to dispose of something, your first step should be checking your city/town’s website or local trash app for information specific to your community.
If you can’t find it there, search the Recyclopedia! The Recyclopedia provides information on what to do with over 800 items. It’ll tell you if it needs to go in the trash, recycling, or somewhere else.
Need to take it somewhere else? Search Beyond the Bin to find recycling and donation outlets near you.
Furniture and home decor: If possible, try selling or giving away stuff that’s in good condition before you move. Try online sharing groups or websites and apps like NextDoor, Freecycle, Facebook Marketplace, and Buy Nothing.
Usable but unwanted items like dishes, pots and pans, frames, puzzles, lamps, and small furniture move like hotcakes on gifting sites! Books can be donated to Little Free Libraries.
If your neighbors won’t take them, check local thrift stores to see if they will accept your items.
Mattresses, appliances, ACs, metal furniture, and TVs: These items usually require scheduling a pickup and some may require payment. Check your city or town’s trash and recycling website or trash app for disposal instructions.
Overflowing cardboard: If you have curbside pickup, check your city or town’s website for instructions on how to place overflowing recyclables on the curb properly. Cardboard is highly recyclable, but not if it ends up in the trash. Please make the effort to break down boxes and put them out responsibly.
Clothing and textiles: Take clean and dry clothing, linens, shoes, and accessories – in all conditions – to a nearby drop-off location or your favorite thrift store. Beyond the Bin provides location details for collection bins across the state. Remember, unless they are stinky, covered in chemicals, or moldy, old clothes and textiles don’t belong in the trash or recycling.
Miscellaneous: Items such as metal, electronics, and fluorescent bulbs can often be dropped off for free through municipal programs. Check your city or town’s website for collection opportunities. If none are available, check Beyond the Bin or do an internet search.
Partner Spotlight: Arlington Public Schools
With the start of school fast approaching, we thought now would be the perfect time to celebrate Arlington Public Schools for ditching disposables and going reusable in multiple school cafeterias! With the help of a MassDEP Reduce, Reuse, Repair Micro-Grant, three elementary schools (Dallin, Peirce, and Stratton) and sixth-grade Gibbs School have all switched from single-use plastic utensils to reusable stainless steel cutlery. They’ve also said goodbye to disposable condiment packets and hello to bulk ketchup dispensers.
To take it a step further, Gibbs School has also replaced its compostable trays with stainless steel ones. Don’t they look sleek?! 😊
Altogether, the schools are saving nearly $13,000 and over 315,000 disposable items each year. That’s more than 7,000 pounds of waste avoided annually! With these wins, the district is now looking at ways to continue switching to reusables in other schools in the coming years. We love to see our Massachusetts schools curbing waste and normalizing reuse – teaching the next generation lifelong, low-waste habits and that reusable food ware is an important part of a clean, healthy environment. Bravo! 💚 Learn more by reading their case study.
📚What We’re Reading
- We’re Running Out of Space for All Our Trash. One Solution: Waste Less Food. – The Boston Globe
- City of Boston Studying How to Build a Market Around Selling Discarded Construction Material – The Boston Globe
- Keeping Lithium Ion and Primary Batteries OUT of the Trash – Reworld
- Can Recycling Advancements Get Black Rigid Plastics Off Packaging’s Blacklist? – Waste Dive
Enjoy the rest of your summer! ☀️
The Recycle Smart MA Team at MassDEP