Curbside Recycling
Single Stream Recycling
Effective July 1, 1994, recycling became mandatory in the Town of Stoneham. Since then the Town has switched to single stream recycling. Single stream recycling increases convenience, thus increasing participation and volume of material collected, which decreases the amount of waste going to disposal.
Having one collection for curbside recycling means less trips to the recycling processing facility, thereby reducing transportation costs and collection vehicle emissions. A material recovery facility (MRF) is where recyclables go to get sorted after they're picked up. See how an MRF works.
Recycling Container Dos & Don'ts
Do put the following items loose in your containers.
Paper & Cardboard
- Books (rip off hard covers)
- Cardboard (flatten and fold boxes)
- Frozen food boxes (if they rip)
- Magazines and catalogs
- Newspapers and inserts
- Paper bags
- Paper coffee cups (empty)
- Paperboard (paper towel rolls, cereal, tissue boxes)
- Phone books and junk mail
- Pizza boxes (empty)
- Shredded paper (in a stapled, flattened paper bag)
- White and colored paper (staples, paper clips, spirals OK)
Containers
- Aerosol cans (empty)
- Aluminum cans, trays and foil
- Glass bottles and jars
- Metal cans
- Spiral cans (potato chip, nut cans)
- Stiff plastic containers
Don't put any of these materials in your containers/curbside.
Material | Proper Outlet |
---|---|
Plastic bags, plastic films, or plastic wraps | These materials can be returned to some supermarkets and retailers, view a list of locations |
Plastic utensils | Place in trash |
Rigid and Bulky plastics (chairs, toys, buckets, storage containers) | Recycle at Stevens Street |
Flower pots and garden plastics | Recycle at Stevens Street |
Dishes, ceramics and Pyrex | Donate, sell or place in trash |
Clothing, bedding and other textiles (Ripped and stained) | All types of textiles, including shoes, belts and stuffed animals, can be donated at any school, Town Hall or Stevens Street |
Styrofoam | Place in trash |
Paper plates, napkins, paper towels, tissues | Place in trash or compost |
Light bulbs | Recycle at Stevens Street |
Metal pots, pans, hangers, other scrap metal | Recycle at Stevens Street |