Around Town

DPW Update on Waste Reduction, Recycling & Re-use

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The Department of Public Works provided the following update on trash, recycling, and re-use efforts in Watertown:

Happy New Year! 2023 was a strong continuation of the big push that was started in 2022 to help achieve our Resilient Watertown action items, as well as the City Council established goal of reducing the amount of waste sent for disposal by 30% by 2030. Watertown’s tonnage reduction is being tracked based on the City’s 2019 baseline of 8,760 tons of waste sent for disposal. Watertown sent 8,581 tons of solid waste for incineration in 2022 and reduced that amount to 8,327 tons in calendar year 2023. This decrease shows that as a city we are continuing our trajectory of reducing our trash tonnage every year, which is critical to hitting our goal.

Around Town

See How Presidents Day Will Impact City Facilities, Trash Pickup

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Monday is Presidents Day, and it will impact Watertown City Hall, the Library and Senior Center, as well as trash and recycling collection all week. The City of Watertown provided the following announcement:

Watertown City Hall, Senior Center, Department of Public Works Office, and Watertown Free Public Library, will be closed on Presidents’ Day, Monday, February 19, 2024. Please note that there is a one day delay for trash and recycling pickup this week.

Around Town

Recycle Electronics at Mount Auburn Cemetery Event

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Mount Auburn Cemetery will host an electronics recycling event on Saturday, Jan. 6. See the announcement below. SAVE THE DATE! Saturday, January 6, 10 am – 1 pm

Bring your old electronics over to Mount Auburn’s Preservation Services Building to recycle!  Enter at 24 Cottage St.

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.