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Recycling
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Newton Public Schools promotes recycling in its classrooms and school buildings. In May 2019, the School Committee approved a policy on recycling.
Recycling Posters for Classrooms and School Buildings
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Our partners in the City of Newton have developed student-friendly signage to encourage recycling in our classrooms and buildings. To order trash/recycling/food scrap signs and for other related questions, please visit the City of Newton Recycling Webpage. Or, you can email them directly.
Textile Recycling
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Newton Public Schools (NPS) recently signed an agreement with Helpsy, a for-profit B Corp committed to changing the way people think about clothing donations. Helpsy collects unwanted textiles, including shoes, for reuse and recycling. In Newton, using Helpsy bins to collect unwanted textiles will help Newton to do the following:
- Keep textiles out of the waste stream
- Meet environmental and waste reduction goals
- Generate a modest amount of revenue
Importantly, the use of Helpsy bins will give Newton a head start in complying with the Massachusetts ban on disposal of textiles in the wastestream, which goes into effect in November 2022.
To make donations easy and convenient for Newton residents, Helpsy textile collection bins are now being placed at several school buildings throughout the city. Bin locations have been planned in coordination with school principals, the Parks and Recreation department, and the school district facilities department. The locations were selected to ensure the bins were easy to access, service, and clear, but would not interfere with school operations or block visibility for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers. Find a bin on the Helpsy website.
NPS will be reviewing bin locations over the summer of 2022 to ensure they meet the identified criteria. If you have questions or concerns, please email.
Helpsy will empty the bins regularly and remove the donated materials. They are responsible for ensuring that the bins are in good condition and serviced regularly. To view a list of acceptable items that may be placed in the bins, please visit this link: Acceptable textiles for Helpsy bins. The NPS Facilities Department is the primary point of contact for any questions related to the bins.
We are excited to be implementing this important sustainability initiative and look forward to offering this service to Newton residents. More information will be shared via schools as the bins are placed and become operational.
Please see below for answers to Frequently Asked Questions.
Frequently Asked Questions - Textile Recycling
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Why have the bins been placed at schools?
The bins have been placed at schools around the City to make it convenient for residents to properly dispose of their unwanted textiles. This helps to keep textiles out of the city's waste stream and comply with new state regulations. As of November 1, 2022, Massachusetts has banned disposal of clothing and textiles in the trash.
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At which schools are the bins located?
Angier Elementary
Bowen Elementary
Burr Elementary
Countryside Elementary
Franklin Elementary
Horace Mann Elementary
Lincoln Eliot Elementary
Mason Rice Elementary
Memorial Spaulding Elementary
Underwood Elementary
Ward Elementary
Bigelow Middle School
Brown Middle School
Newton North High School
Newton South High School
Find other bins here:
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Can the bins be moved to different locations on the school grounds?
Yes, the bins can be relocated on school grounds if there is a safety or operational issue. We have worked closely with the NPS facilities department, school principals, and the City of Newton Parks and Recreation to reach consensus on bin location at each school. The bins have been situated to avoid interference with the safe operations of our school buildings. They have intentionally been located for visibility and access, while also avoiding disrupting school operations and access, including school entrances, driveways, and Blue Zones.
We will review bin locations over this summer (2022) and will likely be adding a few additional locations before the end of the summer.
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Are the bins going to be there permanently?
Yes, the intent is to keep the bins in place for the long term to continue to provide a convenient way for residents to donate and dispose of unwanted textiles.
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What items are acceptable for donation?
To know what items can be deposited into the bins, please visit Helpsy website for a list of acceptable items. Please note that all clean and dry textiles are acceptable, even if they are not desirable for reuse. Shirts with holes, worn out sheets, tattered drapes, and shoes with no tread are all accepted items. These items have value – they are shredded and recycled for industrial purposes.
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Do the donations generate a profit?
The bins generate a small amount of revenue based on a per pound amount for the textiles that are collected. NPS plans to use the revenue generated to support additional sustainability initiatives in our schools.
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Who do I call if there is a problem with a bin?
Please contact the NPS Facilities Department if there are any issues with the bins.
617-559-9000
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Can we still use the Helpsy curbside textile collection program through DPW?
Yes, the bins are in addition to the existing Helpsy curbside textile collection program.
Information about the City's Helpsy curbside textile collection program can be found on the City of Newton website at Recycle at the Curb (scroll down the page to Curbside Textile Collection).
