FAQ

Questions about specific materials

Questions about our services

Questions about specific materials

Are plastic bags recyclable?

No, please do not put any plastic bags (grocery bags, sandwich bags, or plastic wraps and film) in the recycling bin. They get caught on the machinery at the recycling facility and bind it up. Although it may have the triangular recycling symbol on it, or say "recyclable", it still cannot go in a regular recycling bin. You may, however, take your plastic bags to many supermarkets which will recycle them for you. Check out Plastic Film Recycling to find a drop-off location near you.

Are paper coffee cups recyclable?

No, even though you would think so. They are not recyclable because they are coated with a thin layer of plastic inside to make them waterproof. Dispose of both the cup and the lid in the trash. Sorry!

Do you accept CFL bulbs, florescent tube lights, or mercury bulbs?

No. But try Complete Recycling Solutions and Clean Harbors. CFLs can be brought to places like Home Depot too.

Can you accept paper with staples in it, sticky notes, or glue-bound paper like books?

Yes. The "undesirable" bits are so small that it doesn't really matter. We'll take 'em!

Do you take pizza boxes?

This is a tough one. We'll take them if they don't have any food left inside, the liner is removed, and they aren't greasy. If the bottom is really greasy, you could throw that part in the trash (or compost) and tear off the top part to recycle!

Are 3-ring binders recyclable? They have cardboard, metal, and plastic in them, which I know are all recyclable.

No, we cannot take binders or items like them which have plastic, metal, and cardboard all combined. To be recycled, items have to be made of one uniform material.

Do you accept batteries?

We can't take alkaline batteries-just throw those out in the trash. They don't contain mercury and haven't for over 20 years (and the small amount of metal they do contain isn't cost-effective to de-manufacture and recover). But we can take rechargeable and lithium batteries such as laptop batteries, power tool batteries, and back-up power supplies.

Do you take padded mailing envelopes? (with the bubble wrap inside)

No, because the bubble wrap is film plastic, which we can't accept.

Can I recycle paper towels and unused tissues/toilet paper?

No. Even though they are made of paper, the paper is very thin and has usually already been recycled a few times, so the fibers are too short to re-process again. Also we can't tell if they have been used or not, so it may be unsanitary for us to handle.

Questions about our services

What is dual stream recycling?

Dual stream means you separate your materials into two bins: One for paper/paperboard/cardboard, and one for mixed bottles/cans/plastics. Earthworm uses dual stream, unlike many residential recycling programs in MA, which use single stream (all recyclables mixed together). One reason we use dual stream is because the evidence from residential programs indicates that single stream unintentionally invites people to toss in trash, which can contaminate an entire batch of otherwise useful recyclables. Another reason is that we earn revenue when we deliver clean, separated materials to our local recycling facility, but it is a cost to us if we give them mixed single stream materials. So we would need to charge a higher fee to handle single stream materials.

Does Earthworm do in-office pick-ups?

Yes, we do!

Can customers call in irregularly for a pick-up, or do they have to be on a fixed schedule?

Yes, we have a combination of call-in customers and scheduled customers.

Do you do pick-ups for residential house clean-outs?

We don't usually do residential pick-ups, but in some cases we will, depending on access. Contact us if you want to inquire about this service.

I have a lot of extra cardboard boxes from my recent move. Can I come drop them off?

No, sorry, we are not a materials recovery facility and do not process materials in-house. We deliver all of our materials, except electronics, to a processor in Charlestown. If you want to drop off cardboard, Casella will accept drop-offs of cardboard at their Charlestown plant as long as there is no wax liner, plastic air bags or Styrofoam mixed in. Just make sure you check in at the scale house.

Can I drop off old electronics?

Yes, you can drop them off at our warehouse, but we have to be here! We request that you give us a call or e-mail to let us know when you plan on coming, so we can make sure someone is in the office to receive you. Usually someone is in the office 9:00 am-4:30 pm M-F. We are not open on weekends. Just ring the doorbell outside under the green awning, and someone will come let you in.

Note that we charge a small fee for handling certain items that require more labor on our end (including printers, computer monitors, TVs). We prefer payment by cash or check. Feel free to inquire with us beforehand about pricing.