Reading Recycling Vendor To Crack Down On Materials

Reading MA

05 March, 2020

11:31 AM

Description

READING, MA — Reading's curbside trash and recycling vendor, JRM, will start enforcing current recycling requirements April 1, the town said this week. Department of Public Works Director Jane Kinsella advised residents to be careful about what they put out for curbside collection. "If JRM crews see even one unacceptable item in a recycling bin, they have been instructed by JRM not to collect it at all. If, while emptying a bin crews find unacceptable items, they will immediately stop and leave the remaining items at the curb," Kinsella said in a statement. Bins with uncollected items will be marked with a sticker and left curbside, and residents will be asked to remove any unacceptable items. Drivers will not be sorting curbside. If recycling is left behind, it will be picked up by JRM on the following week's collection schedule. Reading DPW staff cannot pick up recycling that was left by JRM. Across the state, cities and towns struggle with recycling compliance. Homeowners frequently place items that are not acceptable into their recycling bins. This is leaving entire truck-loads of recycling rejected and driving up costs to the vendors and, eventually, municipalities. Examples of unacceptable items include: unclean pizza boxes, napkins, tissues, toilet paper, soiled paper wrappers, plastic bags, plastic wrap, newspaper sleeves and plastic film. Styrofoam, window glass or mirrors, lightbulbs and ceramics also will not be accepted. Two years ago, China stopped accepting large imports of paper and plastic in the United States, in part because much of the recycling was contaminated and unusable, according to the town.