New Bedford Guide Your Guide to New Bedford and South Coast, MA
“During the holiday season, around 25% more waste is produced than usual. Some holiday traditions create waste, but by reusing, recycling, and choosing experiences over things we can reduce waste.
“Residents may have questions about which items can be recycled curbside or at the Recycling Center as well as what to do with their Christmas trees after the holiday. We are sharing this information now to help our residents prepare,” said Jennifer Vieira, Director of Facilities & Fleet Management.
Here are a few tips to help ensure holiday waste ends up in the right place:
• Cardboard: Empty & flatten boxes (cut if necessary); place in recycling cart. Take boxes that are too large for recycling carts to the Recycling Center, 1103 Shawmut Avenue. Recycle boxes from online shopping, gift boxes, and empty pizza boxes! Grease is okay, food is not.
• Empty bottles, cans, jugs, jars, paper/catalogs: Place in recycling cart. Place greeting cards that have no metallic inks, foil, batteries, or glitter in the recycling cart as well.
• Wrapping paper is not recyclable. If you want to be able to recycle your gift wrap, use newspaper, grocery store flyers, paper bags, or packing paper. Give gifts in reusable bags, jars, or tins. Bows and ribbons cannot be recycled, reuse when possible.
• Styrofoam blocks and string lights: Drop off at the Recycling Center. These items do not belong in the curbside recycling carts.
• Sustainable gifts: Consider environmentally friendly gifts such as experiences, digital gift cards, products made of recyclable material, reusable items, or handmade presents. Or give the gift of online music lessons (contact the library to borrow a keyboard or ukulele)!
After your real Christmas tree has been undecorated, below are options for disposal. Real Christmas trees are chipped and used as beneficial cover at the local Crapo Hill Landfill.
• Christmas tree collection: Harvey Waste & Recycling Services will pick up real Christmas trees from January 9 to January 13. During this week only, residents may place trees at the curb by 7 a.m. the weekday after trash and recycling collection. Please note, if your trash is usually collected on Friday, Christmas trees will only be collected along your route on Monday, January 9th. If your trash is usually collected on Mondays, Christmas trees will only be collected along your route on Tuesday, January 10th and so on. This is the only week for curbside pickup of real Christmas trees. Please remove all ornaments, stands, lights, and tinsel. Do not place trees in plastic bags. Property owners may be issued a violation notice if trees are placed at the curb any other time or without decorations removed.
• Christmas tree drop-off: Starting on Dec. 26, Christmas trees can be brought to the following locations.
o E Rodney French Blvd., beach parking lot, between Hudson Street & Seymour Street, ends January 13th
o Brooklawn Park, near Pony League Field, enter at Irvington Street, ends January 13th
o Recycling Center, 1103 Shawmut Avenue, open Monday, Wednesday, Friday, noon to 5:00 p.m. and Saturday, 7:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Holiday hours:
12/23/22 & 12/30/22: open 7:00 a.m. to noon.
12/24/22 & 12/31/22: open 7:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
12/26/22 & 1/2/23: closed
For additional tips, visit New Bedford Recycling on Facebook, Instagram, and Nextdoor, or follow @NBRecycling on Twitter. If you have questions, please call the Department of Facilities and Fleet Management at (508) 961-3008 or email trashandrecycling@newbedford-ma.gov.”
