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Does Concord have a dump where I can take my trash? |
Is there a place where I can drop off recyclable materials? |
Mixed paper, glass bottles and jars, metal cans, and plastic containers are only collected at curbside. Residents must sign up for curbside collection with the municipal collection program or a private hauler to dispose of these items.
Are pizza boxes recyclable? |
Too often, pizza boxes still have pizza, cheese, tomato, or grease still inside. Knowing this, people at the recycling facilities simply toss pizza boxes into the trash without ever checking them. For this reason, drivers for the municipal collection program have been instructed not to accept pizza boxes for recycling.
If you have a pizza box that really is clean – no oil or any other food waste at all – then turn it inside out so it looks like any other piece of cardboard and place it with your other paper for recycling. It is ok to recycle completely clean pizza boxes as long as they are not in the shape of a pizza box.
Can old pots and pan be recycled at curbside? |
Old pots and pans and other metal items can not be recycled at curbside. The only metal items that can be placed in your recycling bin are metal food cans and beverage containers, metal can and jar lids, and clean aluminum foil and trays. Any other mostly metal item, such as pots and pans, nuts and screws, drain pipes, old bicycles, lawn mowers, washing machines, etc. may be recycled at the spring and fall recycling and oversized waste Drop-off Day and SwapOff sponsored by REUSIT and Concord Public Works.
What materials can I recycle in my green bins? |
The recycling truck for the municipal collection program has two compartments: one for mixed paper and one for household product containers. Materials must be separated into these two categories when setting materials out for collection.
Materials that go in the mixed paper compartment include any kind of clean paper item - newspaper, magazines, catalogs, junk mail, envelopes, white and colored paper, fax paper, phone books, paperback books, spiral notebooks, clasp envelopes, manila folders, shoe boxes, cereal boxes, poster board, corrugated cardboard, etc. Plastic windows, self-stick labels, and staples are ok. Cardboard must be flattened and smaller than 30" x 30" x 12" in order to fit in the compartment.
Household product containers include four types of containers: glass, metal, plastic, and paper cartons. All these containers may be mixed together in a single bin.
Glass containers include clear and colored bottles and jars with lids removed (you do not need to remove metal collars). Metal containers include deposit and non-deposit beverage cans, metal food cans, clean aluminum foil, aluminum trays and pie pans, and metal jar and can lids. Plastic containers include any plastic bottle or jar except those used for motor oil or other chemicals. It also includes other plastic containers, such as plastic take out food containers (except those made from Styrofoam). Paper cartons include paper milk and juice cartons as well as empty juice boxes that have had the straws removed. Please remember that all containers must be rinsed clean.
Please do not recycle the following items: plastic bags, Styrofoam (cups, trays, block, or packaging peanuts, even if marked #6), plastic containers for motor oil or other hazardous chemicals, or soiled paper (such as paper plates, cups, towels, napkins, tissue, or paper with paint or glue). Pizza boxes can only be recycled when they have absolutely no grease or other food waste and are turned inside out so they look like a regular piece of cardboard.
Is there any place where I can recycle my plastic bags? |
Plastic bags cannot be recycled at curbside because they get caught in the conveyor belt at the material sorting facility. The wholesale supplier for Crosby’s Supermarket recently discontinued their plastic bags recycling program. For this reason, Crosby’s was forced to discontinue this service for its customers. Unfortunately, there are no longer any locations in Concord where you can recycle plastic bags on a regular basis. Many of the larger grocery store chains still accept bags for recycling, such as Whole Foods, Star Market, Shaw’s, Stop and Shop, Roche Brothers, etc. In addition to shopping bags, these stores accept other plastic bags, such as clean, dry produce bags, bread bags, sandwich bags, etc. Zoots will take back the plastic used to cover their dry cleaning.
Better than recycling bags, of course, is reusing bags or using reusable cloth shopping bags. It is notoriously difficult, even for those with the best of intentions, to remember to bring reusable bags on a shopping trip. Here are some tips to help you remember:
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Write on your shopping list "remember to bring bags." |
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Hang cloth bags on your kitchen door. |
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Hang your purse on the same hook where you hang cloth bags. |
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Use a cloth bag to hold deposit bottles and cans, that way you will have at least one cloth bag with you when you get to the store. |
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Tape a reminder on your dashboard. |
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Don’t get discouraged when you keep forgetting your bags. Keep trying. |
How do I recycle corrugated cardboard? |
Corrugated cardboard can be recycled in the municipal collection program, but the compartment in the truck is only 3’ wide by 15" deep. To guarantee there will be no problem, we request that pieces or bundles be no larger than 30 inches square x 1 foot. If you have large pieces or quantities of cardboard you may find it easier to take it to one of our two drop-off locations that are open to subscribers to the municipal collection program. Cardboard may be recycled at the Composting Site on Walden Street (just across Route 2) on Saturdays between 9 – 3, April through November, and in the dumpsters at the public parking area at the Public Works facility, 133 Keyes Road, which are open 24 hours a day. Please flatten boxes and remove all non-cardboard materials, such as Styrofoam, wood, plastic, and other packaging. Please do not
recycle pizza boxes and other types of paperboard at this location.
What do I do with old paint? |
Concord Public Works runs the paint reuse, recycling, and disposal shed at the Composting Site (on Walden Street, just across route 2), every Saturday from 9 – 3, April through October. The shed is set up as a swap shed and is open to all Concord residents. Residents bring paint materials they no longer want, and may take away excellent quality materials for reuse at no cost. Residents are encouraged to visit the paint shed before beginning a painting project to see what materials are available for free. There are usually large quantities of primer, sealer, off-white semi-gloss (excellent for moldings and trim), off-white flat paint, wood stain, deck sealer, paint thinner, etc.
Latex paint is not a hazardous product, so the only latex paint the shed will accept is latex paint in good enough condition that you can imagine using it in your own home. If there is very little paint in the can, or the paint is dried out, throw the can away with your regular rubbish. If there is more than ¼ can but it is not in good condition, or if the paint has been frozen, you must dry it out, then dispose of it with your regular trash. To dry it out, add kitty litter or a latex paint hardener available at Home Depot or other paint supplier, then dispose of the can with your regular trash.
Oil and alkyd-based paints and stains are hazardous products. If the can is empty, if the paint or stain is dried out, or if the can is less than ¼ full, you may throw it away with your regular trash (please seal the lid tightly first). If the can is more than ¼ full, no matter what condition, bring the can to the paint shed for reuse, recycling, or proper disposal.
Other paint products, such as primer/sealer, polyurethane, shellac, wood and deck preservatives, paint remover, unused paint thinner, and unused mineral spirits, are also accepted for reuse, recycling, or proper disposal. These items are flammable and should never be disposed of with your regular trash unless the can is empty or the materials are dried out. Paint thinner or mineral spirits that have been used to clean brushes should be taken to the Minuteman Hazardous Waste Facility for proper disposal.
The Paint Shed does not accept any other hazardous material. Other hazardous products, such as epoxy, floor finish, etc. must be taken to the Minuteman Regional Household Hazardous Waste Facility in Lexington, which is open to Concord residents one Saturday per month April – November. For more information on disposing of hazardous materials call the Concord Health Department at 978-318-3275.
How do I dispose of hazardous materials? |
Subscribers to the municipal curbside collection program receive a pass to one event per year as part of their subscription to the curbside program. To attend an event, subscribers must first contact Concord Public Works at 978-318-3240 and fill out a registration form.
Residents that do not subscribe to the curbside program can attend the event for a fee. Twelve gallons or less will cost about $35, twenty-five gallons or less will cost about $60, etc. Bring identification and a check, as cash and credit cards are not accepted. If you have any questions please contact the Concord Public Works at 978-318-3240.
How do I safely dispose of items that contain mercury? |
All of the rivers and ponds in Concord are contaminated with mercury, and residents are warned not to eat the fish because of the high levels of mercury in the fish that live in the water. The source of this contamination is mercury in rainwater. The mercury in rainwater is thought to come from coal-burning power plants in the mid west (50%), local medical incinerators (25%), and local solid waste incinerators (25%). Mercury in local solid waste incinerators comes from fluorescent bulbs, mercury fever thermometers, thermostats, button batteries, and similar mercury-containing devices. The best way to prevent mercury from ending up in our lakes and streams is to keep it out of our incinerators. Residents can recycle many mercury-containing devices at locations in Concord.
Fluorescent bulbs: All fluorescent bulbs, straight, U, circular, and compact contain mercury. They may be recycled at Concord Public Works, 133 Keyes Road, weekdays 8:30 – 4:30, at West Concord 5 & 10, during store hours, and at the Composting Site, Saturdays 9 – 3, April – November.
Button Batteries: Small button batteries used in watches, hearing aids, laser pointers, etc. still contain small amounts of mercury and other heavy metals. These batteries may be recycled at the Concord Town House, Concord Free Library, Concord Public Works, Harvey Wheeler Community Center, West Concord 5 & 10, and the Composting Site.
Intact mercury-containing devices, such as thermostats and fever thermometers, may be recycled at Concord Public Works, 133 Keyes Road, weekdays 8:30 – 4:30.
Mercury that is not contained in a manufactured device, such as mercury from a broken fever thermometer, a jar of elemental mercury, etc. should be taken to the Minuteman Regional Household Hazardous Waste Facility. Contact Concord Health Department at 978-318-3275 for more information on hazardous waste disposal, permits, and schedule.
How do I get rid of my old TV or computer? |
The average computer monitor or television screen contains about four pounds of lead. In an effort to eliminate this large source of lead from the waste stream and to foster the development of an infrastructure to recycle the increasingly large number of these products that are disposed of each year, in 1999 Massachusetts banned the disposal of these items from Massachusetts’s landfills and incinerators
Concord Public Works and REUSIT sponsor a Drop-off Day each spring and fall when residents can bring TV’s, computer monitors, and other electronics for recycling. Other electronics, such as VCR’s, CD players, stereo equipment, telephones, etc. are not banned from landfills and incinerators and can be disposed of with regular household waste, but most are made of materials that are highly recyclable and can also be brought to the Drop-off Day where they will be recycled for a fee.
If you cannot wait until one of the Drop-off Days, contact the manufacturer or retail outlet. Many computer companies now have programs in place where computers can be shipped back for proper disposal. There are also electronics recycling companies that will accept electronics for a fee. Call Concord Public Works at 978-318-3240 for more information.
What should I do with my Styrofoam? |
The market for used Styrofoam in New England is very limited at this time and no curbside program collects it.
Styrofoam packaging peanuts are quite expensive to purchase, and the best way to recycle clean and dry peanuts is to take them to a business that will reuse them, such as UPS Store on Thoreau Street . If you do throw them away, they must be placed in a securely tied bag, or they may end up all over your neighborhood.
Styrofoam block that comes with new products, such as computers and small household appliances, can be recycled at the Drop-off Days sponsored by REUSIT and Concord Public Works each spring and fall if it is clean and dry. For information and Drop-off dates call Concord Public Works at 978-318-3240 or see details on this website.
There is currently no market for Styrofoam cups, trays, and takeout clamshells. At this time, they should be disposed of with your regular trash.
How much do Concord residents recycle? |
Concord’s municipal recycling program is very successful. On average, subscribers to the municipal collection program recycle about 50% (by weight) of the materials that they set at the curb, one of the highest recycling rates in the state, and this figure does not include yard waste. Recycling rates for most of the private haulers that service Concord residents, however, are much lower.
Estimates are that 70% - 80% of the materials that the average household disposes of each week are recyclable in Concord’s curbside recycling program or as compost. Of course figures will vary depending on whether you have a baby that uses disposable diapers, a cat that uses kitty litter, the number of newspapers you receive, how much wine you drink, etc. You might want to figure out how much of your waste you actually do recycle. For one week weigh your mixed paper, containers, food waste, and regular trash. If you are feeling courageous, pour your trash on the kitchen floor at the end of the week and see if there are materials there that could have been recycled
Where do materials collected in Concord’s municipal collection program go? |
Trash collected in Concord ’s municipal collection program goes to the Fitchburg landfill.
Mixed paper is taken to the Clinton Paper Recovery Plant in Clinton , MA . Mixed paper is sorted, bailed, and marketed to manufacturers throughout North America . Sorted paper is recycled into other paper products such as newspaper, writing paper, boxes, cartons, roofing felt, insulation, wallboard, hydro turf, kitty litter, etc.
Glass, metal, and plastic comingled containers are consolidated at the Clinton Paper Recovery Plant in Clinton and transported to FCR Materials Recover Facility (MRF) in Charlestown . At the MRF, materials are sorted by category, bailed, and marketed to manufacturers. Plastic is used to manufacture carpeting, polar fleece clothing, detergent bottles, and other plastic products. Glass is used in glass bottles, tiles, and other products, and is also used in road aggregate. Metal is recycled into cans, automobiles, appliances, and other metal items.
How should I dispose of empty motor oil containers? |
Empty motor oil containers and other empty containers that once held chemicals or hazardous materials should never be recycled. Place these empty containers with your regular trash for disposal.
How can I recycle plastic flowerpots? |
Clean Plastic Flowerpots can be recycled at curbside.
How do I dispose of my old smoke/fire detector? |
Although smoke detectors contain small amounts of radioactive materials, the amount in one detector is minuscule enough that it should not alarm you. Once a large number of them are collected in a single location, however, the amount becomes dangerous. For this reason it is better to dispose of detectors individually rather than collecting them in a single location for disposal. Smoke and fire detectors may be disposed of with your regular trash. If you would rather recycle your detector, contact the manufacturer (usually listed on the back of the detector) and find out if they have a recycling program. DO NOT take them to a hazardous waste collection event.
How do I dispose of my old fire extinguisher? |
Is your fire extinguisher too old to extinguish a fire? If it is a high-end model, it might just need to be re-charged. Both West Concord Five and Ten and Vanderhoof’s will send them out to be recharged. Inexpensive fire extinguishers, on the other hand, are not designed to be recharged. Because fire extinguishers are under pressure they should not be disposed of with your regular trash. To recycle them take them to the fire department or bring them to the scrap metal area at REUSIT and Concord Public Works’ spring or fall Drop-off Day.
What should I do with my old cell phone? |
All cell phones are designed so that the 911 feature will still work even when it is not connected to a service provider. The Domestic Violence Assistance Program, located at the Concord Police Station, accepts working cell phones and chargers and gives them to individuals who are concerned about their safety, so that they can contact emergency personnel in a crisis. Working cell phones with chargers and any other materials may be dropped off at the Concord Police Station any time, or brought to the REUSIT and Concord Public Works spring and fall Drop-off Day. Non-working and really old cell phones may be brought to the REUSIT and Concord Public Works Drop-off Day and taken to the electronics recycling section. Please indicate that the phone does not work.
How do I get rid of furniture and household items I no longer want? |
Furniture in good, usable condition may be donated to a charitable organization. These pieces must have no stains, rips, or broken parts and still be in good condition. There are no organizations that will accept furniture that needs to be reupholstered or which require a slipcover.
The Household Goods Recycling Ministry in Acton is the closest organization that accepts furniture. They also accept household goods. Call them at 978-635-1763 or visit their website at www.hgrm.org to arrange pickup or delivery. Household items and clothing may be dropped off at the Goodwill trailer at Crosby ’s Supermarket daily between 8 – 4. Clothing may also be dropped off at the Red Cross drop boxes located at Papa Razzi and the West Concord Train Depot and at the Salvation Army clothing drop box at the West Concord train depot. All items should be clean and in good, usable
condition.
Many charitable organizations will pick up furniture, household items, and clothing at your home if you have sufficient quantities. Look in the yellow pages or contact Concord Public Works at 978-318-3240 for a list of charitable organizations that pick up at homes.
What happens to the bottle deposit when I put deposit bottles and cans in my recycling bin? |
When deposit containers are recycled at curbside or thrown in the trash instead of returned for deposit, the unclaimed deposit goes into the Massachusetts General fund. Until 2002 the unclaimed bottle deposits went to a special fund called the “Clean Environment Fund” which was used to support recycling programs, hazardous waste cleanups, etc. but this fund was abolished during the state budget crisis. Since then the unclaimed deposits have gone directly into the Commonwealth of Massachusetts General Fund
Why does Concord have a pay-as-you-throw (PAYT) curbside collection program instead of covering trash and recycling costs through taxes? |
Fifty years ago, trash disposal was a very small municipal expense. A hole was dug in the ground at the edge of town, trash was dumped in and lit on fire. Costs associated with disposal were so low that it made sense to include the nominal expenses as part of the municipal tax base. Providing a location for free disposal of unwanted materials also discouraged the disposal of waste in woods, wetlands, and back yards, as had been the accepted practice throughout history.
Gradually, the amount of trash people had to throw away grew, and awareness of the environmental costs associated with this rudimentary method of waste disposal increased. Regulations and policies were put in place on the local, state, and national level, and over time costs increased. Collection and disposal costs are now much greater, with a budget for Concord’s municipal curbside collection program of over $600,000 per year. In addition, individual behavior can now significantly affect associated costs. Recycling as much as possible and reducing the amount of trash can significantly reduce program expenses. Pay-as-you-throw programs encourage recycling and raise awareness about the true costs associated with the disposal of our unwanted waste. Almost 30% of cities and towns in Massachusetts now have some form of pay-as-you-throw
program.
Originally, electricity, water, and sewer expenses were all included in the municipal tax base. Over time, these services were removed and charged as utilities to residents and homeowners. Awareness of the true costs of these services encourages residents to make choices about their behavior based on the costs they are willing to pay for the service. In this way trash collection services have more in common with electricity, water, and sewer services than they do with schools, road maintenance, police, and fire protection. We all benefit from the education of our public, the condition of our roadways, and the protection of community and property. We do not benefit when there is no incentive to conserve water, electricity, or natural resources, or to reduce our impact on our environment.
Concord’s pay-as-you-throw curbside collection program is one of the most successful programs in the state. Residents who subscribe to the program recycle close to 50% of materials they set at the curb, one of the highest recycling rates in the state. Because a high recycling rate reduces program costs, Concord’s pay-as-you-throw collection program has proven itself to be one of the most fair and cost effective programs in the State.
Why is there a municipal curbside collection program and also private trash haulers in Concord? |
Residents in Concord may choose to have their trash and recyclable materials collected through the municipal curbside collection program or by one of a few private haulers. This unusual system was created by the Solid Waste Task Force in the early 1990’s, when the town closed its landfill.
At that time a number of homes were already contracting privately for collection of their trash by one of a dozen or so private haulers, instead of bringing materials to the landfill themselves. Many of these residents did not want to force the small haulers out of businesses, as might happen if the town serviced all households with a single collection hauler, and they did not want to increase their taxes to cover the costs for a municipal collection program.
While the Solid Waste Task Force considered recommending that private haulers be given the opportunity to service all Concord residents, the problem with that option was that most of the private haulers were not providing recycling services at that time, a service that many residents felt was important to receive. For these reasons the Solid Waste Task Force recommended the creation of a fully user-fee funded municipal curbside collection program that offered comprehensive recycling services. The beauty of this plan was that it did not require residents who wanted to remain with their private hauler to abandon their hauler or pay twice for their service, once through increased taxes and again through payment to their private hauler.
Most of the small private haulers have since been bought out by larger hauling companies. There are currently only four private haulers that service households in Concord, and most of these haulers now provide weekly or bi-weekly recycling. So the situation has changed considerably since its inception.
One advantage to this peculiar system is that residents may contract with a private hauler to collect materials from their garage or back door, instead of at curbside. While this service is often more expensive, for homeowners who have long driveways, travel frequently, or have difficulty bringing materials to curbside, this can be a valuable service.
The municipal fee-based program, one of the first of its kind in Massachusetts, has turned out to be one of the state’s model "pay-as-you-throw" collection programs. Because of the "true cost" fee structure that charges an additional fee for trash disposal to cover the additional costs associated with the incineration of our waste, the municipal collection program has one of the highest recycling rates in the state. The high recycling rate, in turn, reduces overall program expenses, through avoiding thousands of dollars in additional trash disposal costs annually, and the receipt of thousands of dollars in revenue from the sale of recyclable materials.
The following haulers are registered with the Concord Board of Health to provide collection services in Concord:
Concord Public Works – 978-318-3240 – Provides weekly curbside trash and recycling collection services (through a contract with Waste Management).
Middlesex Disposal – 978-369-5815 – Provides weekly back door/garage trash collection and monthly recycling collection of paper.
Olde Colonial Trucking – 978-371-2987 – Provides weekly back door/garage trash and recycling collection services.
Tully Collection Services – 978-840-4463 – Provides weekly curbside trash collection and bi-weekly recycling collection services.
Waste Management of Central Massachusetts – 800-545-4560 – Provides weekly back door/garage trash collection and bi-weekly recycling services (no new curbside customers).
Is illegal trash disposal a problem in Concord? |
One disadvantage to Concord’s fee-based trash and recycling collection program is that, while most people subscribe to the municipal collection program or contract with a private hauler, a few people choose not to contract for trash collection services at all. These residents have no legal disposal option for their materials, so they end up disposing of their waste in public barrels, private dumpsters, or they take materials to work or to a friend’s home in a neighboring community. All these options are illegal. Residents who are caught disposing of household waste in public barrels or private dumpsters will be fined. If you witness an incidence of illegal disposal, or are experiencing a problem with illegal disposal, please contact Concord Public Works at 978-318-3240 or notify the police at 978-318-3400.
This page is new and will grow as questions are asked. Please let us know if you have a question that was not answered elsewhere on this website. Send your question to: Recycling and Waste Management Program
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