Modernizing Recycling Infrastructure: A Win for Shrewsbury and the Bay State

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Letter to the Editor icon By Sen. Michael O. Moore, Christopher Crowley

The “Most Dunkin Donut Shops Per State” is not the only top 10 list Massachusetts lands on.   

In fact, the Bay State is a recycling leader, ranking among the top states in the country—something we’re proud of this America Recycles Day. This status was earned through deliberate actions by the state and local governments across the Commonwealth, including right here in the Town of Shrewsbury. 

Recycling is most effective when it’s convenient for consumers. That’s why Shrewsbury is moving from dual-stream to single-stream processing, which simplifies collections by allowing households to put all materials in the same bin. Key to this modernization effort is upgrades to recycling carts for 12,000 Shrewsbury households.  

As simple as they may seem, carts are essential for efficient and effective recycling. Nearly every top-performing recycling program in the U.S. uses carts, according to The Recycling Partnership. Carts not only provide residents with more room to store recyclables, they help prevent materials from blowing away as litter and increase the safety and efficiency of collection. 

 Shrewsbury cart upgrades were funded by a $185,600 grant from the beverage industry’s Every Bottle Back initiative with The Recycling Partnership. The new, larger 95-gallon carts triple the amount of recyclable materials that can be collected and, ultimately, remade into new products. This is one example of how America’s beverage companies, like Worcester-based Polar Beverages, are joining with local officials around the country to create circular economies for recyclable materials.  

 This year marks the 5th anniversary of the landmark initiative. Through Every Bottle Back, the beverage industry has invested nearly $1 million to upgrade recycling infrastructure in Massachusetts cities and towns. Investments in Danvers, Falmouth, Methuen and now Shrewsbury will collect an estimated 28 million pounds of new recyclables over the next 10 years, including more than two million pounds of the polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic used in bottles and 843,440 pounds of aluminum used for cans.    

 We know that recycling can be improved in the Commonwealth and across the country by investing in modernization of recycling infrastructure, access and education on recycling best practices. Shrewsbury is a model for other communities on how this can be achieved on America Recycles Day and every day forward.  

Sen. Michael O. Moore represents communities in the Second Worcester District including the towns of Auburn, Grafton, Millbury, Shrewsbury, Westborough, and the southeast portion of the city of Worcester in the Massachusetts Senate. Christopher Crowley is Executive Vice President of Polar Beverages in Worcester and President of the Massachusetts Beverage Association. 

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