There's been a lot of talk about trash in the local papers and in the South End blog world. Most of this has been in response to increased trash regulation enforcement in the South End. Trash was a hot topic of discussion at an Eight Streets meeting earlier this year. At that meeting we met with Public Works, and discussed what the sanitation workers responsibilities are, and what Residents responsibilities are.
If you'd like a copy of the flier we handed out, here is a
listing of good trash practices for us, and some
examples of good and poor trash disposal on our curbs.
Good Curbside Practices
One of the sources of loose trash on the streets is due to trash being put out incorrectly on the street. Trash should be put out in a trashcan with a lid, or in a heavy duty black plastic bag. But take a good look at the neighborhood on trash mornings: trash put out in very thin white kitchen bags, which tear very easily. Even worse - trash put out in a CVS or Shaws type bag. This is not only against trash regulations, but it doesn't do a good job of keeping the trash secure.
While we can put trash out as early as 5pm the night before - it's best to put your trash out early the morning of pickup. Aside form having to look at trash all night long - a lot happens at night. Wind can blow over bags. Pedestrians can kick bags if they're not looking. Squirrels, raccoons and other night critters can easily tear thin bags to get at dinner. All of this can create a mess of even the best contained trash. Whenever you can, putting your trash out in the morning of collection day goes a long way to keeping the streets a bit cleaner.
Recycling
Boston now has single stream recycling. This means your paper and plastic can all go into the same container. When they started single stream, they also made clear plastic bags the standard for recycling materials. Such bags are available at Foodies and Shaws as well as other local retailers. The City will also (shortly) introduce a heavier duty plastic bag for recyclables. Please, use the clear plastic bags for all recyclables. it might be easiest to buy a second small kitchen trash can and line it with a clear plastic bag. On trash day just collect both bags and bring them to the curb!
While Eight Streets residents still have their blue bins, the city is phasing those out. Paper easily blows out of the blue bins, and a stray kick from a pedestrian can knock recyclables all over the sidewalk. Even if your bin is filled nicely, too often a neighbor or passer by will use your open bin and dump additional paper, or even trash into it, again leaving a mess. Moving to clear plastic bags is the easiest step to make the neighborhood cleaner.
You can
not put out paper recycling in a paper bag, or stuff it into an open cardboard box. It's too easily knocked over. Becomes a terrible mess if it rains or is windy out. And it's against city trash regulations.
Cardboard boxes? Break them down and lay them flat on the ground. Any freestanding open cardboard box will be taken away as trash. Why? First, it may contain styrofoam packing, which
cannot be recycled. (put the foam in a trash bag) Second, many people use open cardboard box as a place to put their own trash bags, or the trash that's in their hand as they walk down the street. That TV or computer box could be full of household trash. the recycling folks don't have time to lok inside every open box, so they leave them for the regular trash. Break boxes down, and put your recycling clear bag on top of it to hold it down.
If you are recycling bottles and cans that have a deposit on them, please don't put them in your recycling bag or your trash bag. Trash picking is a problem that won't be easy to solve. but face it - people rip trash bags open looking for cans because they find cans. Leave your returnables next to your recycling bag. Someone will pick them up before long.
Enforcement
Trash put out in improper bags, and recycling in open containers is a large contribution to the messy streets and sidewalks we have in the South End. It's easy to blame trash pickers or wind or "it's not me, it's the guy down the block", but take a look at the streets next trash day. You won't walk a dozen doors down before you find something put out improperly. a Foodies bag with trash in it. A paper bag full of newspaper that's been knocked over already. I have
4 "don't" trash photos on the trash flier. I didn't have to look far for that improper trash. I got all 4 on my street in under 2 minutes. Really - next Tuesday look at everyone's trash as you go to work.
Both the neighborhood and the city have tried education. The city distributes fliers and booklets yearly. We've produced fliers and delivered them door-to-door. We've had DPW at meetings. just last February, the city again distributed fliers door to door with trash regulations. While a few people may change behavior, for the most part behavior doesn't change. (And it's not just Eigth Streets - this is South End wide). The next tool in the trash toolbox is enforcement. Every Tuesday, starting at 7am, code enforcement will be out and about in the South End, ticketing people for improperly stored trash. Now if you have a nice thick black trash bag that had gotten ripped open, you probably won't get a ticket. But if your recycling bin that looks like it exploded - you'll probably get yourself a green ticket.
Click here for Boston City trash regulations web page
A List of Recycling regulations, including what you can and cannot recycle
A Clean neighborhood
If everyone put their trash out in a secure can or bag, and put those bags out on the morning of trash collection. If everyone had their recyclables in clear plastic bags. if everyone picked up loose trash in front of their building, regardless of where it came from. If everyone swept in front of their homes on street cleaning day.
if we all work together and do our own little part, all the little parts would add up and give us a cleaner neighborhood.
