Boston To Pilot Curbside Compost, Textile Recycling

BOSTON — This fall Boston will pilot a curbside composting program and a textile recycling program, Boston Mayor Marty Walsh announced. The pilot programs come as part of an effort to make Boston a "zero waste city" and are part of a 30 strategy-pronged plan to reduce consumption of natural resources and greenhouse gas emissions.

The aim is to reduce trash, and increase recycling and composting by about 638,000 tons per year, increasing Boston's current recycling rate from approximately 25 percent to 80 percent by 2035, according to the mayor's office.

Some 6 percent of Boston's greenhouse gas emissions come from the city's discarded materials. By reducing waste, recycling more, and composting, Boston can reduce emissions associated with waste and move closer to its goal of carbon neutrality by 2050, according to the city.

"We're devoting significant resources to achieve both our short and long term goals and ensure our City is more sustainable for decades to come," said Chief of Streets and Zero Waste Co-Chair Chris Osgood in a statement. "By implementing these recommendations, there is no doubt that Boston can achieve the ultimate goal of becoming a Zero Waste City."

Right now Boston generates roughly 1.2 million tons of materials each year, where 25 percent is reused, recycled or composted and 75 percent is disposed in incinerators or landfills. But some 75 percent of what's tossed could be recycled or composted.

City Councilor Matt O'Malley spearheaded the City Council's efforts to institute curbside composting and textile recycling programs in the City of Boston.

"Expanding Boston's composting program will be transformative in improving the City's recycling rate, reducing our waste, and greenhouse gas emissions, while working toward carbon neutrality," he said in a statement.

The Zero Waste Committee recommended 30 overall strategies to increase composting, recycling, reuse and innovation to help educate.

Composting

The city will pilot a partly subsidized curbside collection of food waste this fall.

Approximately 36 percent of what is currently thrown away as trash is, in fact, compostable materials — either yard waste such as leaves and grass clippings or food scraps.

Boston also plans to extend the current residential yard waste collection service from 17 weeks during the April to December period to 20 weeks. It will also days when residents can drop off yard waste at Boston's composting facility on American Legion Highway for free. Some of the compost generated from that will be given to Boston community gardens; other compost will be available for sale to Boston residents at a reduced price.

Recycling

Roughly 39 percent of what is thrown away as trash is recyclable. In an effort to get more people to recycle the city will be implementing a few new strategies, including offering a free curbside textile recycling service in the fall.

Boston plans to use a $250,000 grant for a community recycling pilot program from The Coca-Cola Foundation. The money will go toward improving access and education about recycling. Look for recycling bins, signage and collection services to city parks soon.

And speaking of education, the city said it just released a campaign called Recycle Right to help people understand what's recyclable and what's not, keeping "problem materials" that cause contamination and drive up the cost of recycling, out.

Innovation

Boston is also looking for a potential large-scale program that could help reduce the amount of food and yard waste that residents currently just toss in their garbage.

They're reminding folks they have a free "Trash Day" app that can tell folks what's recyclable and what's compostable and what's not and where to toss them. App users can also view a calendar for their home's collection dates, set reminders and get notifications of schedule changes.

The new initiatives are included in a set of recommendations by the Zero Waste Boston Advisory Committee appointed by Walsh last year.

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