New MA Rule Now In Effect Bans Trashing Some Household Items

MASSACHUSETTS — A new trash rule in Massachusetts went into effect Tuesday, deeming that residents can no longer throw out items like mattresses and clothing.

The new Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection rule is part of the state's 2030 Solid Waste Master Plan, which aims to reduce landfill waste by about 30 percent by the end of the decade.

The ban that went into effect Tuesday prevents the disposal or incineration of mattresses and most types of clothing. Instead, the items will need to be either recycled or donated for reuse. Those items join a long list of things that can't be put in the trash, including cathode ray tubes, white appliances and tires.

Most cities and towns in Massachusetts have prepared for the new rule and will allow residents to drop off mattresses for transfer to a recycling company. The state has also awarded grants to dozens of cities and towns to set up mattress recycling (find the list here).

Old clothing and textiles — anything from curtains to old tennis sneakers — can be donated to thrift stores, and companies like Simple Recycling or Bay State Textiles will collect them. Unlike thrift stores, those companies will accept soiled or threadbare clothing to be recycled into raw materials.

MassDEP has also set up a recycling website where you can type in the name of specific items to find out how to dispose of them.