Recycle Smart MA was launched in 2018. It is an education initiative developed and funded by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP). Our mission is to educate MA residents about what can and cannot go in the recycling bin.
For many years, there were different messages about recycling depending on where you lived/worked/played in Massachusetts. These mixed messages were causing confusion that was bad enough to disrupt the recycling system. Thus, in 2018, MassDEP brought all the material recovery facility (MRF) operators in MA together in one room to produce a list of acceptable materials that was built by consensus and based on three key criteria:
The material should not harm the workers or equipment.
The MRF equipment must be able to handle the material.
There must be a consistent market for the material.
The MRF operators were happy to engage with MassDEP to create a consistent message across the Commonwealth because we all believe consistency will help reduce confusion and foster cleaner recycling. Cleaner recycling means that more of what is collected can be recycled. No one wants to see good material go to waste!
The Recycle Smart MA website is also available in translated languages. An example is on the right:
