Holiday recycling and sustainability tips

The Greater New Bedford Regional District Refuse Management District has tips for holiday waste reduction. 

To get rid of waste, they have specific instructions. For cardboard people should empty, flatten and place the boxes in the black-lid recycling cart. Remove all food, grease on the boxes is okay. It can also be taken to the Dartmouth Transfer Station with the correct permits. Styrofoam and string lights can be brought to the Dartmouth Transfer Station but cannot be thrown out. Plastic bags, bubble wrap and air pillows can be dropped off at Stop & Shop, Shaw’s, Ocean State Job Lot, Kohl’s or Market Basket. They also cannot be thrown out. Cans, jugs and jars can be recycled in the gray-lid recycling bins. 

When it comes to wrapping paper and cards, they are typically not recyclable. No wrapping paper is not recyclable, and the district recommends that people use sustainable options like newspaper, grocery store flyers, paper bags or packing paper. Plain cards can be placed in the black-lid recycling lids. If it has glitter, metallic details, photo paper, foil or batteries it cannot be recycled. 

The district also encourages sustainable gift ideas like experiences, digital gift cards or subscriptions, reusable products, handmade items made of recyclables or items from thrift stores. To continue sustainability practices outside of recycling and gifting, they encourage people to eat leftovers, compost, have curbside compost pickup with Black Earth Compost and get a FoodCycler appliance. 

The Dartmouth Transfer Station is located at 976 Russells Mills Road and is open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7:30 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. and Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.