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	City Expands "Recycle More" Pilot Program to the South End
9/27/2007 - Released by Mayor's Office
For more information contact press office
City Expands “Recycle More” Pilot Program to the South End Residents Will Test Bulk Recycling Mayor Menino and the City’s Public Works and Transportation Department are investigating ways to increase participation, tonnage, and cleanliness of the weekly curbside recycling collection program. The Jamaica Plain/Roslindale “Recycle More” pilot, which began in May, has resulted in a 53 percent increase in recycling, a 16 percent decrease in trash, and cleaner streets. A “Recycle More” pilot is now being launched in the South End. Beginning Tuesday October 2nd, South End residents can mix their paper, bottles, cans and plastic container together. This collection method is known in the recycling industry as “single-stream” collection. “Littered streets and alleys have been an ongoing issue for South End residents. The Recycle More single-stream pilot can be part of the solution,” Mayor Menino said. “Over the past decade, we’ve expanded recycling to every corner of the city, now it’s time to take the program to the next level. By testing larger carts, clear plastic bags and single-stream, we expect to improve our environment and save taxpayers’ resources.” Residents with alley collection will be given large-wheeled carts to uses in place of their recycling bins. The cart pilot will occur in the alleys between Massachusetts Avenue and Yarmouth Street and between Columbus Avenue and the Orange Line. Residents who put their recycling on the curb in front of their houses will be allowed to use clear plastic bags instead of recycling bins. The clear plastic bags are being offered to these residents because many have been unable to recycle due their inability to store recycling bins. This program is also looking at how we can encourage residents to recycle more not only for environmental benefits but to ultimately save City resources. For every ton of trash residents recycle, the city saves $70 on residents’ trash disposal fee. The program will gauge the impact these carts have on participation rates, total tonnage collected, and spillage on the street. The approximately 7,000 households in residential buildings with 6 or less units will be participating. Five hundred residents with alley collection will use either a 95 or 65-gallon wheeled-cart. Remaining residents will be able to take part in the recycling program by placing their recyclables in clear plastic bas. These bags, which will be available in neighborhood stores, take up less space than the blue bins, yet will allow residents to put all recyclables in one place. Storing trash in proper trash receptacles will also be monitored. Residents can use 32-gallon trash cans or strong (2-ply plastic) 32-gallon black or green trash bags. For more information or any questions, please call the Recycling Department at 617 635 4959. ###

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