Tufts makes recycling pretty convenient. But at some point or another, most Tufts students end up living off-campus and have to take care of their own recyclables. For those students, the towns of Medford and Somerville offer many different recycling options.
In Somerville, recyclables are picked up every Monday when trash is collected. Medford recyclables are collected every other trash day. Free recycling bins are available from the City of Somerville Department of Public Works or the Medford Recycling Program with proof of residency.
"We got a free recycling bin from the city of Somerville," junior Daniela Mauro said. "We put a lot of bottles and cans out for recycling - usually people come and take the bottles and cans that we leave on the curb to cash them in, but whatever isn't taken is recycled."
"I think it's awesome that people come and take the bottles and cans that people leave on the curb," said junior Chelsea Bardot, who also lives off-campus in Somerville. "It's a good system - they make money, and the bottles and cans get reused."
Bardot studied abroad in Madagascar last semester, and she compares the recycling/reuse traditions there with the practices here. "No one in Madagascar ever thought of throwing away a bottle," she said. "We brought them back to the convenience stores, and then our next purchase cost less because we didn't have to pay for the deposit."
"There's no recycling program in Madagascar, because people recycle on their own," Bardot added. "The money that you save bringing bottles back to the store is significant - with the amount that you save on the deposit, you can buy a few bundles of bananas, for instance."
Right now in Mass., the return on each bottle or can is 10 cents. However, a recently proposed bottle bill would double the return and include water bottles and other varieties instead of just soda bottles and cans.
Bottles and cans are just some of the various recyclable materials, however. The process for separating recyclables in both Medford and Somerville is pretty straightforward. All glass, tin cans, plastic and aluminum should be placed in the recycling bin, and newspapers, magazines and other paper items should be left next to the bin in paper grocery bags or tied up with twine.
Cardboard must be flattened and cut into pieces no larger than two feet by two feet. It must also be placed in a brown paper grocery bag. Materials to be recycled must also be clean. Plastic bags or soft paper products, like tissues or paper towels, cannot be recycled.
Household hazardous waste disposal services are available in both Medford and Somerville. Recyclable household hazardous waste items include paints, thinners, cleaners, motor oil, antifreeze, mercury thermometers, car batteries and fluorescent bulbs/tubes. Household hazardous water collection events are held on the second Saturday of each month in Somerville, from 9 a.m. to noon at the Department of Public Works Yard, 1 Franey Road.
The Department of Public Works (DPW) in Somerville will also pick up TV and computer monitors for free upon request. For a $20 fee, the DPW will pick up old refrigerators, dishwashers, washing machines and dryers, ovens, air conditioners and hot water heaters.
Recently, Somerville Mayor Joseph Curtatone sent informational recycling brochures throughout Somerville. The brochures offer advice on how to prevent local water contamination through proper waste disposal and lawn/car maintenance.
Runoff containing fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, heavy metals, inorganic litter or improperly disposed motor oil can pollute local bodies of water. Individual citizens can take precautions to prevent water pollution by avoiding the excess use of fertilizers, picking up after pets, and keeping sidewalks, driveways, and parking lots clean.
Car tires can also be recycled in Somerville for free. They can be dropped at the DPW yard Monday through Friday, anytime between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., with proof of residency.
For more information on recycling, contact the City of Somerville Department of Public Works or the Medford Recycling Program.
