To combat recycling stream contamination, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) developed the Recycling IQ Kit. The Kit provides cities and towns with steps, tools, and resources to Improve the Quality of local recycling programs. The Kit includes:
- Guidance for engaging with materials recycling facilities (MRF) and haulers;
- Instructions and tools for targeting messages;
- Tools for tracking and reporting results;
- Customizable artwork for education and outreach; and
- Resources for direct feedback at curbside or drop-off.
The Recycling IQ Kit is open source and available for any city or town in the state. It provides digital templates for both curbside and drop-off programs such as magnetic post cards, “oops” tags, banners, and bin stickers to inform residents on what should and should not be recycled.
How was the Project Started?
The project started in 2015 when MassDEP awarded The Recycling Partnership a waste reduction grant to help develop a hands-on intervention and enforcement program to clean up the recycling stream. The program was piloted and tested in nearly a dozen Massachusetts communities in 2016 and 2017.
When was the Project Started?
The program was piloted in 2016, and was officially announced in March 2017.
When was the Project Completed, or is it Ongoing?
The grant program is no longer active, but the resources in the Kit are available for download.
What are the Results to Date?
Massachusetts communities that have fully implemented the Recycling IQ Kit have seen a remarkable improvement in the quality of material going into residents’ recycling bins (as measured by the percentage of bins “tagged” for contamination) with an average tagging reduction rate of 63.38% and a high of 95.00%. (Note: tagging occurs when recycling bins are contaminated with non-recyclable material. Therefore, a higher reduction rate equates to fewer bins being tagged for contamination meaning more people are properly recycling.)
What are the Resources Needed, including Time, Cost, Etc.?
The Recycling IQ Kit is available for any community to use. The artwork is customizable and available to download on the MassDEP website.
Contact Information
- Greg Cooper
- Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection
- Division Director- BAW Business Compliance and Recycling
- Greg.Cooper@MassMail.State.MA.US
- 617-292-5988
