Skip to Main Content
Loading
Loading
Government
Residents
Businesses
Departments
Search
Home
FAQs
Search
All categories
Assessors FAQs
Building Department
Cable Television Advisory Committee
DICR - Civic Engagement
FY2024-26 Override and Debt Exclusion
Human Relations / Youth Resources Commission
Marijuana Licensing FAQs
Planning - Economic Development
Planning - Housing
Planning - Preservation
Planning - Zoning
Preservation - Demolition Review
Public Works - Engineering & Transportation - Pay By Phone 1
Public Works - Engineering & Transportation - Pay By Phone 2
Public Works - Engineering & Transportation - Pay By Phone 3
Public Works - Highway & Sanitation - HPAYT 1: General Information
Public Works - Highway & Sanitation - HPAYT 2: New Subscribers
Public Works - Highway & Sanitation - HPAYT 3: Cart Exchanges, Additions, & Returns
Public Works - Highway & Sanitation - HPAYT 4: Cart Damage, Theft, and Loss
Public Works - Highway & Sanitation - HPAYT 5: Condo Associations, Multi-Unit Properties, Landlords, and Property Managers
Public Works - Highway & Sanitation - Single Stream Recycling
Public Works - Highway & Sanitation - Trash & Recycling
Public Works - Parks & Open Spaces - Fisher Hill Reservoir Park
Public Works - Parks & Open Spaces - Front Yard Tree Planting Program
Public Works - Parks & Open Spaces - General
Public Works - Parks & Open Spaces - Green Dog Program
Public Works - Parks & Open Spaces - Mini Forests
Public Works - Stormwater
Public Works - Water & Sewer - Sewer
Public Works - Water & Sewer - Water
Town Clerk - Election Information
Town Clerk - Marriage License/Intentions
Transportation - General FAQs
Transportation - Parking Meters
Transportation - Resident Permit Parking
Transportation - Taxi Services
Treasurer/Collector - Excise Tax FAQ's
Treasurer/Collector - Invoice Cloud FAQ's
Treasurer/Collector - Real Estate & Personal Property Tax FAQS
Treasurer/Collector - Refuse FAQ's
Treasurer/Collector - Unclaimed Property
Treasurer/Collector - Water FAQs
Categories
All Categories
Assessors FAQs
Building Department
Cable Television Advisory Committee
DICR - Civic Engagement
FY2024-26 Override and Debt Exclusion
Human Relations / Youth Resources Commission
Marijuana Licensing FAQs
Planning - Economic Development
Planning - Housing
Planning - Preservation
Planning - Zoning
Preservation - Demolition Review
Public Works - Engineering & Transportation - Pay By Phone 1
Public Works - Engineering & Transportation - Pay By Phone 2
Public Works - Engineering & Transportation - Pay By Phone 3
Public Works - Highway & Sanitation - HPAYT 1: General Information
Public Works - Highway & Sanitation - HPAYT 2: New Subscribers
Public Works - Highway & Sanitation - HPAYT 3: Cart Exchanges, Additions, & Returns
Public Works - Highway & Sanitation - HPAYT 4: Cart Damage, Theft, and Loss
Public Works - Highway & Sanitation - HPAYT 5: Condo Associations, Multi-Unit Properties, Landlords, and Property Managers
Public Works - Highway & Sanitation - Single Stream Recycling
Public Works - Highway & Sanitation - Trash & Recycling
Public Works - Parks & Open Spaces - Fisher Hill Reservoir Park
Public Works - Parks & Open Spaces - Front Yard Tree Planting Program
Public Works - Parks & Open Spaces - General
Public Works - Parks & Open Spaces - Green Dog Program
Public Works - Parks & Open Spaces - Mini Forests
Public Works - Stormwater
Public Works - Water & Sewer - Sewer
Public Works - Water & Sewer - Water
Town Clerk - Election Information
Town Clerk - Marriage License/Intentions
Transportation - General FAQs
Transportation - Parking Meters
Transportation - Resident Permit Parking
Transportation - Taxi Services
Treasurer/Collector - Excise Tax FAQ's
Treasurer/Collector - Invoice Cloud FAQ's
Treasurer/Collector - Real Estate & Personal Property Tax FAQS
Treasurer/Collector - Refuse FAQ's
Treasurer/Collector - Unclaimed Property
Treasurer/Collector - Water FAQs
Are plastic bags recyclable at the MRF?
No! Plastic bags, plastic wrap, and other plastic “film” are not recyclable. Do not put your paper or containers in plastic bags prior to recycling. Plastic bags are a serious contaminant and litter problem at the recycling facility.
Check with your grocery store to see if they accept clean grocery bags for recycling and if so, what are their guidelines. If they don’t accept them ask them to begin a recycling program.
▼
Public Works - Highway & Sanitation - Single Stream Recycling
Show All Answers
1.
What is single stream recycling?
Single stream isn’t anything fancy. It simply refers to a new system that takes the 2 recycling “streams” collected through the Brookline curbside program - mixed paper and commingled containers - and puts them together in 1 toter. Voila. Single-stream. Two bins, now 1. It is still important to follow the same guidelines applied to the 2-bin program, except you put the 2 streams together.
2.
What can I put in my blue recycling cart ?
View the
Single Stream Recycling webpage
for acceptable items.
3.
I am elderly or disabled and can not transport a large cart. Can I get a smaller cart?
The smallest size toter delivered in September will be a 64-gallon toter. If after a 2-week trial period this significantly impedes your ability to recycle, please call 617-879-4908 to discuss alternative recycling options.
4.
What are the advantages to single stream?
By eliminating sorting, recycling becomes easier and increases participation and recovery rates. In many communities, recycling has increased 30% or more by switching to single stream recycling. Single stream also reduces collection costs because haulers can use single compartment trucks that can be compacted as opposed to specialized multi-compartment vehicles that are more costly to operate. Over time this greatly reduces the energy required to collect the material.
5.
How do I know what plastic is recyclable?
Think bottles and containers! All plastic food and beverage bottles, most plastic food containers, and most other plastic bottles under 2.5 gallons in size are recyclable.
There are a few exceptions:
Styrofoam cups and trays and microwave trays are not recyclable.
If the bottle contained motor oil, antifreeze, pesticides, herbicides, adhesives, paints, or solvents, it cannot be recycled. The residue from motor oil and chemicals seeps into the plastic and contaminates it.
6.
Are plastic bags recyclable at the MRF?
No! Plastic bags, plastic wrap, and other plastic “film” are not recyclable. Do not put your paper or containers in plastic bags prior to recycling. Plastic bags are a serious contaminant and litter problem at the recycling facility.
Check with your grocery store to see if they accept clean grocery bags for recycling and if so, what are their guidelines. If they don’t accept them ask them to begin a recycling program.
7.
Should I wash my recycling before placing it in the bin?
Just one rinse for recycling should be sufficient, even for vegetable oil bottles. Cans, jars and bottles that are rinsed before recycling are cleaner and thus more valuable. Also, clean containers are less attractive to bugs. Bottle caps can remain on the bottle for recycling.
Motor oil containers cannot be recycled.
8.
Can I recycle Styrofoam?
Styrofoam is a brand name for the material made from a type of plastic called polystyrene. Polystyrene is not recyclable in Brookline's recycling program. Private company's such as Refoam-It Inc. hold Styrofoam take back events throughout Massachusetts. Brookline's event is usually held in January.
9.
Why can’t prescription or vitamin bottles be recycled?
Prescription and vitamin bottles go through a different manufacturing process and, as a result, do not have the same melting temperature as other plastic bottles. (You’ll notice they are much, much harder than other narrow-necked bottles.) They have a different consistency at the same melting temperature (sometimes thinking of "soup" versus "pudding" is helpful), making them incompatible in a re-manufacturing process. It's the same reason plastic bottle tops can't be recycled, no matter their number.
10.
Can I recycle a motor oil bottle with a No. 2 on the bottom?
No. Motor oil residue has become 1 of the biggest contaminants for our plastics markets. The residue seeps into the porous plastic and cannot be removed through the washing process. Of course you should never try to rinse or wash a motor oil bottle yourself since motor oil down the sink or storm drain causes a much larger environmental crisis than a plastic bottle in the trash. A motor oil bottle in a pile of plastics could potentially contaminate a whole batch of otherwise recyclable materials and cause the whole lot to be sent to the landfill.
11.
Do I need to step on my plastic containers before recycling?
No. You don’t have to step on plastic before recycling it. Some plastic, like milk jugs, is easy to step on and it saves space in the recycling container. Other plastic will just “spring back” when stepped on. Never step on plastic when it’s on the ground because it will pick up dirt and stones, which are not recyclable.
12.
Are black, No. 1 microwaveable containers recyclable?
No. Black plastic is not recyclable because of the dye. This includes microwaveable trays as well as other items.
13.
Why can't I recycle plant pots?
Plant pots can't be recycled because the plastic is too dark to be used in new products. Also, there can't be any type of dirt or residue in the recycling process. A local garden store may take them for reuse.
Live Edit
Boards & Commissions
Privacy Policy
Assessors Department
Select Board
Brookline Library
Brookline Parking
Brookline Parks
Brookline Police
Brookline Public Schools
Brookline Public Works
Brookline Recreation
Override Central
Visitor Information
Departmental Directory
Website University
Parking
Trash &
Recycling
Permits &
Licenses
Pay Bills
Get
Involved
Report a Concern
Government Websites by
CivicPlus®
Arrow Left
Arrow Right
[]
Slideshow Left Arrow
Slideshow Right Arrow