Description
The City of Boston’s Public works Department provides free weekly recycling services to residents in apartment buildings and condominiums with more than 6 units under its Large Apartment Buildings recycling program. It provides free curb-side recycling to all other residents under its Residential Recycling Program.
How Can You Participate?
Property Managers
How to obtain recycling services
Residents need to have their landlords, property managers or condo trustee call the recycling office at 617-635-4959 and speak to the Large Apartment Building Recycling Coordinator.
The recycling coordinator will visit the apartment building to explain the program and suggest operation options.
The building manager must then purchase the recycling receptacles known as carts. One receptacle is used for mixed paper (newspapers, magazines, etc.), and another for bottles, cans and plastic containers (milk jugs, yogurt containers, etc.
Carts range in size from 30 to 90 gallons and cost less than $75.
Carts should be purchased after the recycling coordinator’s site visit.
The building manager then distributes written notification to the tenants about their new recycling program.
Building managers will be provided with recycling guides along with recycling stickers for the carts. Recycling guides are available in five languages. (English, Spanish, French, Chinese, and Vietnamese.
Strategies for getting residents to recycle
Studies indicate that people are motivated to recycle by pressure from family and friends. The MA Department of Environmental Protection has published several community-based social marketing strategies to increase community recycling rates:
- Feedback Sign Strategy
Provide feedback about community recycling rates by creating signs above recycling receptacles, which advertise the amount of material that has been recycled in the previous week. Click here to read full article (pdf).
- Curbside Door Hanger Feedback Survey
On a door hanger, give feedback about neighborhood or building recycling participation rates. This lets residents know how their recycling behavior compares to their neighbors’ behaviors. Click here to read full article (pdf).
- Outreach Volunteer Strategy
Research has shown that understanding how or what to recycle affects their recycling participation. Those who have less knowledge recycle less or not at all. In addition, studies have also shown that personal contact has a large influence on our behaviors and attitudes. Combine education and personal contact by recruiting community volunteers or tenant leaders to provide recycling information to non-recycling residents. Click here to read full article (pdf).
- The Commitment Strategy
Similar to the Outreach Volunteer Strategy, the Commitment Strategy involves recruiting volunteers to provide recycling information to their neighbors and asking them to make a written commitment to recycle. Case studies have shown highly effective outcomes with this strategy. Click here to read full article (pdf).
Residents
How to obtain recycling services
Residents who live in apartment building and condominiums with 6 units or less can recycle by calling the City of Boston’s Department of Public Works Recycling Director at 617-635-4959 and requesting a blue box which is provided free of charge. (one per household is allowed)
Local Recycling Resources
For Property Managers
- Click here to learn more.
For Residents
- Click here to learn more.
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