Alexei Volkov
Massachusetts has nine material recovery facilities, and while the goal is to have consistent messaging across all 351 municipalities, each municipality makes its own choice. The state's official website, Mass.gov, provides information on how and where to recycle, and every Massachusetts town and city with curbside collection or a drop-off centre accepts certain items for recycling. Boston, for example, provides its residents with curbside collection for recycling metal, glass, plastic, and paper. However, plastic bags are not accepted in recycling bins, but some grocery and retail stores offer recycling for them. So, are plastic tubes recyclable in Massachusetts?
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Plastic tubes | Recyclable if they are not plastic bags, wraps, or packing materials such as polystyrene foam (Styrofoam™) |
| Plastic bags | Recyclable at participating grocery and retail stores |
| Plastic wraps and packing materials | Not recyclable, can be harmful to workers and equipment at recycling plants |
| Plastic bottles, jugs, tubs, and jars | Recyclable |
| Plastic items with a recycling symbol | Recyclable |
| Plastic caps and lids | Recyclable if reattached to empty containers |
| Plastic size requirements | Must be larger than 2 inches in diameter to be recycled |
| Plastic color | Black plastics are not recyclable |
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What You'll Learn
- Plastic bags are not recycled curbside but can be returned to some grocery and retail stores
- Plastic bottles, jugs, and tubs are accepted by recycling programs
- Plastic caps and lids should be reattached to containers before recycling
- Black plastic cannot be recycled as it cannot be identified by equipment
- Plastic tubes are recyclable if they are two inches or larger in diameter
Plastic bags are not recycled curbside but can be returned to some grocery and retail stores
Plastic bags cannot be recycled curbside in Massachusetts. They can get tangled in recycling plant processing equipment, causing damage and worker injuries. Most supermarkets and numerous other retailers, including grocery and retail stores, accept plastic bags and wraps for recycling at no cost. Many stores have a bag collection bin in their entry area. If no locations near you accept plastic bags for recycling, throw them in the trash.
In Boston, heavy-duty clear plastic bags are only allowed if you do not have enough space in specific neighborhoods, including Back Bay/Bay Village, Beacon Hill, Charlestown, Fenway, Mission Hill, North End, Roxbury, South Boston, South End, and West End. If you do not comply with these regulations, you may receive a ticket from the Code Enforcement Division.
Recycling programs in Massachusetts accept clean and dry items, including plastic bottles, milk jugs, yogurt cups, tubs, lids, and shampoo bottles. Plastic caps and lids should be reattached to empty containers before recycling. However, black plastics cannot be identified by recycling equipment and will end up in the trash.
In addition to plastic bags, other items that should not be placed in your recycling bin include plastic wraps, polystyrene foam, and packing materials. To find options for reusing or recycling these items, search the Beyond the Bin directory or check your local transfer station for scrap metal and "bulky rigid plastic" bins.
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Plastic bottles, jugs, and tubs are accepted by recycling programs
In Boston, the city provides residents with curbside collection for recycling plastic bottles, jugs, and tubs, along with other materials such as metal, glass, and paper. Residents can use a 64-gallon recycling container supplied by the city or a smaller trash can with a recycling sticker. It is important to check what is accepted by the recycling program before placing items in the bin.
While plastic bags are not accepted in recycling bins in Boston, they can be recycled at participating grocery and retail stores, which often have bag collection bins in their entry areas. Heavy-duty clear plastic bags are allowed in certain neighbourhoods if individuals do not have enough space.
Across Massachusetts, there are varying guidelines for recycling, and it is recommended to follow the rules in your community. The Smart Recycling Guide and Recyclopedia provide resources for understanding what materials are accepted by local recycling programs. It is important to note that plastic bags, wraps, and polystyrene foam should not be placed in recycling bins as they can cause damage and injuries at recycling plants.
Overall, plastic bottles, jugs, and tubs are generally accepted by recycling programs in Massachusetts, but it is essential to refer to local guidelines and ensure that items are properly prepared before placing them in the recycling bin.
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Plastic caps and lids should be reattached to containers before recycling
In Massachusetts, all recycling programs accept empty and clean plastic bottles, jars, jugs, tubs, and clear plastic deli/fruit containers for recycling. Plastic caps and lids, therefore, should be reattached to these containers before recycling. This is true even if the lid and container are different types of material (e.g. a metal lid on a glass jar).
However, there are a few exceptions to what can be recycled in Massachusetts. Clear plastic cups and egg cartons, for example, cannot be recycled. Additionally, recovery facilities are not designed to sort toys, broken laundry baskets, patio furniture, pots and pans, and other oversized items. These items should be reused or recycled through other means.
It is also important to note that plastic bags, wraps, and packing materials such as polystyrene foam (Styrofoam™) should not be placed in recycling bins as they can get tangled in processing equipment, causing damage and worker injuries. Instead, these materials can be taken to most supermarkets and numerous other retailers for recycling at no cost.
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Black plastic cannot be recycled as it cannot be identified by equipment
In Massachusetts, every town and city with curbside collection or a drop-off centre accepts certain items for recycling, with the same restrictions. These include empty and clean containers, carbonated soft drink bottles, beer bottles, and plastic bottles, jars, jugs, and tubs. However, it is important to note that not all plastic items are recyclable.
Black plastic, in particular, poses a challenge to the recycling process. While you may not always be able to tell, black plastic often contains carbon black pigment, which makes it unidentifiable by recycling equipment. This type of plastic is commonly found in cosmetic packaging, condiment bottles, deli trays, and takeout containers. As a result, black plastic items often pass by undetected on the recycling belts and end up in landfills.
The Consumer Goods Forum has identified this issue and is working towards removing carbon black pigment from packaging. Some companies are making efforts to minimize its use, and in some cases, a special type of black plastic that can be detected by NIR technology is being used. However, for this detectable black plastic to be sorted in the recycling system, waste management companies need to fine-tune their equipment.
To ensure your black plastic items are properly handled, it is recommended to check with your local authority or waste management company. They will know if they are manually sorting black plastic or if their equipment can handle the special detectable variety. Additionally, you can advocate for less carbon black plastic and choose products packaged in clear or light-colored plastic, which is easily recyclable.
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Plastic tubes are recyclable if they are two inches or larger in diameter
In Massachusetts, plastic tubes are acceptable for recycling if they are two inches or larger in diameter. This is because items smaller than two inches will fall through the sorting equipment at Materials Recovery Facilities (MRFs) and end up in the trash.
To recycle plastic tubes in Massachusetts, you can put them in your recycling bin for curbside collection. Every Massachusetts town and city with curbside collection accepts plastic for recycling. However, it is important to ensure that the plastic tubes are clean and dry before placing them in the bin.
It is also worth noting that plastic bags, wraps, and packing materials like polystyrene foam are not accepted in recycling bins in Massachusetts. These materials can cause damage and injuries at recycling plants by tangling in the processing equipment. Instead, most supermarkets and numerous other retailers in the state accept plastic bags and wraps for recycling at no cost.
For more specific information about recycling plastic tubes in Massachusetts, you can refer to resources such as RecycleSmartMA.org, which provides detailed guidelines and a Recyclopedia to help residents recycle correctly. Additionally, each municipality in Massachusetts may have its own specific guidelines, so it is recommended to follow the rules in your local community.
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Frequently asked questions
Plastic bags don't belong in your recycling bin, but you can recycle them at participating grocery and retail stores. Many stores have a bag collection bin in their entry area.
Recovery facilities are designed to sort plastic bottles, jars, jugs, tubs, and other plastic containers. Plastic shopping bags and black or white trash bags cannot be recycled.
Other materials that can be recycled include metal, glass, paper, cardboard, aluminium cans, automobile batteries, used motor oil, and scrap metal.
