50% Recycling Goal

Town Sets 50% Recycling Goal

In 2017, the Worthington Select Board established a 50% recycling goal with the intent of increasing quantity and improving the quality of the materials being recycled at the transfer station as well as reducing waste in diminishing landfill space.  In 2020, the Town had a recycling rate of 34.1%.

Most residents are conscientious about recycling and believe that they are properly recycling.  The Springfield Municipal Recycling Facility (MRF) would like you to be aware of “Recycling’s Most Unwanted”.  Bagging recycling in plastic bags is one of the most common problems at the MRF.

Residents are reminded to keep these items out of your recycling bin:

  • No Plastic Bags in with recycling– they bind up sorting material at the MRF
  • No Placement of Recycling in Plastic Bags
  • No Cords or wrapping items – these shut down MRF rollers
  • No Loose Shredded Paper – this cannot be contained at the MRF
  • Keep non-recyclable plastics out of the MRF container. Samples
    • No colored/opaque Plastic Cups – place with household trash
    • No Plastic Containers that contained a hazardous material – i.e. windshield washer fluid, bleach, nail polish, motor oil, etc.
    • No Black Plastic containers – place in trash
  • No wet-strength paper – soda and beer sleeves and paper items from the frozen food section of the grocery store are reinforced with plastic to prevent them from collapsing when wet. These cannot be recycled into paper.
  • No food waste in containers – Please rinse. Clean pizza boxes – okay. Pizza in the box is not!
  • No scrap metal – it damages recycling equipment. Place in metal bin.
  • No ceramics, drinking glasses, canning jars – consider donating.
  • No aerosol cans – place in trash

In addition to properly RECYCLING, the Select Board encourages residents to be mindful to REDUCE waste and to do all that you can to RE-USE products or re-purpose them. 

To help reduce your food waste, the Board of Health offers Town residents discounted pricing on Earth Machine Compost Bins.  The Town offers the bins for $25 (retail $99) through the HRMC.  To place your order, call or email the HRMC Administrator with your name, street address, (mailing address, if different) and phone number.  HRMC email:  [email protected]; phone:  413-685-5498

For addition information on how to master recycling, visit the “What To Do With” link on the HRMC website at www.hrmc-ma.org