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Recycling & Waste Disposal

Show All Answers

1. Is there a comprehensive itemized disposal guideline?

Yes. Please see the Trash Disposal Guidelines (PDF).

2. Why should I recycle?

Recycling is responsible resource management. Recycling reduces pollution, saves energy and saves the City money! Recycling one ton of paper saves 17 trees. The items that we recycle become other useful products.

3. When is my trash and recycle collection day?

View the street listing (PDF) to determine your trash and recycling collection day.

4. What about holiday week collections?

When there is a holiday, collections will be delayed 1 day after holiday occurs e.g. if your usual day is Monday and that is a holiday, your trash/recycling day will be Tuesday. Friday’s pickup will be on Saturday that week. If the holiday falls on a Thursday (e.g. Thanksgiving), only Thursday and Friday’s collections would be affected. Please refer to the Holiday/ Leaf Calendar (PDF) for observed holidays.

5. When should I put out my recycling?

Residents should place their recycling at the curb no later than 7 am on their trash collection day.

6. Why didn’t the truck pick up my recycling?

• Check to make sure you put your recycling out on the correct day (PDF).
• Was it recyclable? See FAQ number 8.
• Were paper products bundled from containers?
• Were your recyclables in recycling bin and separate from your trash?
• Was your cardboard 3 feet by 3 feet or less, and tied or taped in bundles of 6 inches or less?
• Did you have any recyclables in plastic bags? No plastic bags of any kind allowed.

7. Whom do I call if my trash, recycling, or yard waste is not picked up?

Call JRM at 1-800-323-4285.

8. What can I recycle?

• Paper (keep separate from comingled items)
  • Catalogs
  • Clean paperboard such as cereal / pasta boxes / pizza boxes
  • Egg cartons
  • Flattened cardboard no larger than 3 feet by 3 feet
  • Hardcover books with dust covers removed
  • Junk mail
  • Magazines
  • Newspapers including inserts
  • Phone and other paperback books
• Commingled items (keep separate from paper items)
  • Clean aluminum foil
  • Glass bottles
  • Metal cans
  • Plastic containers labeled number 1 to 7 [If there is no number (1 through 7), it is considered trash]

No plastic bags of any kind or polystyrene.

9. How do I put items out for recycling?

• All glass, plastic and metal containers, and clean aluminum foil can be commingled and placed in your recycling bin (or in another like container such as a laundry basket or barrel, 35 gallons, 40 pounds max, if your bin is full).
• All newspapers, cereal boxes, junk mail and magazines should be put in brown paper bags such as the type you get at a grocery store and placed beside or on top of recycling bin or in its own recycling bin.
• Cardboard should be flattened and tied in bundles or bundled with twine no larger than 3 feet by 3 feet by 6 inches thick.
• Do not place any items in plastic bags and do not commingle paper with containers.
• Place your recycling separate from your trash.
• No plastic bags of any kind or polystyrene.

Learn more about recycling receptacles.

10. Do I need to rinse out my bottles and cans?

Rinsing cans, bottles and jars helps to reduce odor and discourage pests from invading your bin. An easy way to do this is to place cans and bottles and plastics in your dishwasher or rinse them with the rinse water after you have finished your dishes. Labels and neck rings do not need to be removed.

11. Do I need to separate cans, bottles and plastic containers from each other?

All glass, plastic (numbered 1 through 7) and metal containers, and clean aluminum foil can be placed (commingled) in your recycling bin (or in another like container such as a laundry basket or a dedicated and marked barrel (32 gallon, 40 pounds max if your bin is full). No plastic bags of any kind or polystyrene.

12. What about polystyrene, cartons (milk, juice, juice boxes etc), pizza boxes and microwave food boxes?

• Polystyrene is not recyclable in our program and is considered trash. See the Trash Disposal Guidelines (PDF).
• All cartons such as milk, juice, broth, etc. are not in our recycling program and are considered trash.
• Your clean pizza boxes and microwavable food boxes shall be recycled with your paper.

13. Can I put out more than one recycling bin?

Yes! There is no limit to the amount of recycling you can put out.

14. Where can I get a recycling bin?

You may purchase a conventional barrel (35 gallons max) at any hardware store to co-mingle your glass, metal and plastic and an additional one for paper/cardboard. (See FAQ Number 9.)

15. Does the City collect yard waste?

Yes! Yard waste collections are scheduled for several weeks in the spring and fall and occur on your regular trash/recycling day. Yard waste should be placed loose in open trash barrels or in the large paper yard waste bags available at many stores. Not acceptable are plastic bags, boxes, tree stumps and large tree limbs.

Please see the Leaf/ Holiday Calendar (PDF) scheduled pickups.

16. Is there a place where I can drop off my yard waste?

The City owns a yard waste compost site at 16 Standley Street (Operated by JRM) that is open from March 2, 2020, (unless late snow cover) to December 14, 2019, (or first significant snowfall - whichever comes first) on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 8 am to 3:30 pm, with winter hours Thursdays only, 9 am to 1 pm. Residents are allowed to bring leaves, grass clippings, branches up to 2 inches in diameter and Christmas trees. No food or plastic bags of any kind.

17. Does the City have a curbside pick up compost program?

The Waste Reduction Committee runs a food compost curbside pick up program that is managed by Black Earth Compost.

18. How can I dispose of Christmas trees?

Residents who have City trash pick-up and want to recycle their Christmas trees are asked to bring them to compost facility when open. See question 15. You can also see the Leaf/Holiday Calendar (PDF) for your one-time yearly pickup.

19. Where can I recycle books, CDs, DVDs and VHS tapes?

There are several options for recycling these items. One local option is at Best Buy. There are also other options available through online search.

20. How can I stop junk mail?

A service called PaperKarma® can help.

21. How can I shred confidential documents?

JRM offers confidential shredding for our municipal individual residents for a fee of $50 per location. This includes up to 3 1-foot by 3-foot boxes of material. You must be a resident of a City or Town that JRM is the hauling contractor. All shredding is done on site by their mobile shredding truck. The pick up can be scheduled by calling their office at 978-536-2500.

This rate is only for residential and not for businesses who require shredding services. Commercial accounts can contact us at the same number for a commercial quote.

Northshore Recycled Fibers (PDF) provides free document shredding for all Beverly residents.

22. Is there an electronics collection?

The electronics collection for 2020 has been cancelled.

23. Is there a hazardous waste collection?

The event has been cancelled due to the federal and state directives and orders surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. No future date has been established at this time. Call the Health Department with Hazardous Waste questions, at 978-921-8591.

24. How do I dispose of items containing mercury?

The following items should be brought to the Health Department at 90 Colon Street for safe disposal:

• Button batteries
• Compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs)
• Switches
• Thermometers
• Thermostats

Do not dismantle mercury containing devices. Call the Health Department at 978-921-8591 for guidance on disposal of fluorescent tubes and other items containing mercury.

25. How do I dispose of waste oil (used motor oil)?

Waste oil is accepted weekdays at the municipal garage at 148 Park Street during regular work hours (7:30 am to 3:30 pm, Monday through Friday). Call first during the Spring/Summer months to check availability at 978-921-6053.

26. What can I do with all my plastic bags?

Plastic film bags from the grocery store, newspaper delivery, bread bags, and dry cleaning bags may be returned to most supermarkets.

27. Can I put out any size barrel for trash and recycling?

No. The guidelines are no larger than 32 gallons and may not weigh over 40 pounds when full for either trash or recycling containers.

28. Can I throw away my propane tank?

No. They may be returned to Aubuchon Hardware at 50 Enon Street (formally Dawson’s) for a $5 fee, or Cabot Fuels at 449 Cabot Street.

29. Is there a limit to the amount of large (“Bulk”) items I can throw away?

Yes. JRM (our trash company) will take one large (bulk) item per week with your regular trash. a “bulk item” is an item, not trash, construction debris, hazardous waste, etc. It is an item that will not fit in your 32 gallon trash barrel. For example: one headboard, or  one couch, or  one table, or one mattress, or one box spring etc.

30. Where can I bring ink and toner cartridges to recycle?

There are several places that will accept ink and toner cartridges. Examples are: The Health Department (90 Colon Street), Staples (North Beverly Plaza), Keller-Williams office at the Cummings Center, or containers outside the Purchasing Office (2nd Floor, City Hall).

31. How do I dispose of pharmaceuticals?

Reducing access to unwanted medication is now a national public health and safety strategy. Many Americans are not aware that medicines in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse and abuse. Many studies show that almost half of youth who have misused prescription medications gained fist access from medicine cabinets of family of friends. There is a drop off box at the Beverly Police Station and Beverly Hospital.

For further information please contact the Beverly Health Department (90 Colon Street) at 978-921-8591. The Beverly Health Department also runs a Medication Disposal Day. For further details on this event please contact them.