Town of Falmouth Residential Customers

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The cold weather is here — we’re sharing these winter recycling tips with you so you can go green(er) in 2023!
Keep your Christmas lights out of your recycling bin. Items like light strands, ropes and hangers are called “tanglers” at the Materials Recovery Facility (MRF). These items can get tangled in the recycling equipment at the MRF and shut down a plant for an entire day, not only wasting time and money, but also potentially contaminating other materials, making them non-recyclable.
Cleaning out your closets in the New Year? Donate your old clothing to a local organization to be reused or recycled. As of November 2022, textiles are banned from disposal in the state of Massachusetts (textiles are considered clothing, bedding, curtains, fabric, footwear, towels and other similar items). You can review a complete list here. Getting rid of old towels? Check with your local animal shelter to see if they need them. Cleaning out your kid’s drawers? Try your local food pantry, church, shelter or the Red Cross.
Compost, compost, compost! Composting food waste not only helps improve soil, it reduces waste, helps combat climate change and decreases greenhouse gas emissions. If you’re not doing it yet, what’s holding you back? Starting out is simple (this how-to is super handy). Grab a small bin you can place under your sink (your local hardware store should have them in stock) and you’ll have less trips to the compost bin in cold temps.