Around Town

Information About Delayed Trash Collection in Watertown

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The following announcement was provided by the City of Watertown:

Due to on-going construction, trucks may have a difficult time collecting trash and recycle bins during the expected time. If your street is not collected on your normal day, please leave all full bins materials outside and accessible until they are collected. Trucks will return as soon as they are able to, but it may be the following day. Bins should be at least 3 feet from other bins and cars, ideally in the middle of the driveway to avoid parked cars. Please consider putting bins out the night before your normal collection as well, to help ensure a timely collection in the morning.

Around Town

DPW Hosting Halloween Costume & Clothing Swap Event

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The following announcement was provided by the City of Watertown:

Save the date for the Halloween Costume and Clothing Swap, and General Clothing/Textile Recycling Turn-in Event. The Department of Public Works (DPW) is hosting a spooky-themed costume swap, and general clothing and textile recycling event. This is an EVENING event on Thursday, October 26, 2023 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the DPW parking lot, located at 124 Orchard St. Bring your old Halloween costumes to swap and give them a new life! Come look for this year’s costume.

Around Town

Colorful New Benches Popping Up Around Watertown are Made from Recycled Bottle Caps

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One of the benches around Watertown made from recycled plastic bottle caps. (Courtesy of City of Watertown)

Scattered across different parts of Watertown are colorful benches with a surprising element to them, they are made out of recycled plastic bottle caps. The Watertown Department of Public Works (DPW) has been working with Plastic Recycled for over a year when they started making eco bricks. “They were making eco bricks which are the things where you stuff lots of non-recyclable single use plastic into a bottle and they use it for construction,” said Recycling Coordinator, Anya Pforzheimer. The company had asked the DPW if it could be a drop off center for the plastic.

Government

City Negotiating Trash & Recycling Contract in Topsy Turvy Solid Waste Market

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Photo by Watertown DPWCurbside composting toters, like the one on the left, have been added to the Watertown trash and recycling program. The economics of trash and recycling has been a bit of a rollercoaster ride in recent years, which means the City of Watertown’s new waste disposal contract will not be as immune to price changes, and will have to pay contractors to take the recycling, rather than being paid for the products. The City Council voted to allow City Manager George Proakis to negotiate a five year contract with Republic Services, which deals with trash and recycling for most homes in Watertown and runs the Recycling Center. Approval from the Council is needed for any contract longer than three years. The City is not in as favorable a position in negotiating the solid waste contract compared to prior years, Proakis said.

Around Town

Watertown Recycling Event a “Huge Success,” People Lined the Street to Participate

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The Public Works Recycling Event on March 25 drew so many people that cars were backed up down Waltham Street with residents waiting to dispose of a variety of items, and even grab some free soil. City Council President Mark Sideris said he was impressed by how much interest the event drew. “What a successful recycling event we had. You couldn’t get down Waltham Street — they were waiting in line!” Siders said during a recent Council meeting.

Government

City Looking Keep Watertown’s Recyclables “Valuable,” Composting Program Successful So Far

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Watertown DPWCurbside composting toters, like the one on the left, were recently added to the Watertown trash and recycling program. Watertown’s trash and recycling contract is up for renewal, and City officials are trying to do more to reduce the amount of trash being thrown out and increase the amount of recycling as rates increase. Last week, the City Council approved the recommendations of the Department of Public Works as it works on the new contract. In the previous contract, Watertown was able to guarantee a rate for recycling, which would not depend on the market for recyclables. In recent years there have been large fluctuations in the prices, said Public Works Superintendent Greg St.

Around Town

Big Recycling Event: Styrofoam, Clothing, Mattresses, Dehumidifiers and More

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The City of Watertown will host a recycling event, along with paper shredding and a compost give away on March 25 in the parking lot of the Jewish Day School on Stanley Street. The Watertown Department of Public Works provided the following announcement:

Watertown Recycling Event

March 25th , 2023 10:00 AM-2:00 PM

Event will be held at 57 Stanley St. in the parking lot of the Jewish Day School. Please bring a Watertown ID or proof of residency. Mattress Recycling

HandUp, a mattress recycler, will be offering a discount on mattress and box spring recycling.

Around Town

Watertown Reduced Trash by More than 1,000 Tons in 2022

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Watertown DPWWatertown’s compost, trash and recycling toters. The following information was provided by the Department of Public Works:

Happy New Year! 2022 was a big year for waste reduction in Watertown. We implemented newprograms to help achieve the newly ratified Massachusetts 2030 waste goals. This landmarkmasterplan set the objective of municipalities reducing the amount of waste they send for disposal by 30% by 2030.