Bulky Waste & Recycling
Bulky wastes include furniture, carpet, mattresses, and such large rigid plastic items as kiddie swimming pools and play structures. The predominant method of managing these items in the northeast is through landfill disposal. This method is expensive and challenging for homeowners and local waste authorities, particularly in rural communities because they are difficult to handle and transport and they consume a large amount of increasingly scarce space in these facilities. Some of what is thrown away might be reusable, or contain materials that, through recycling, can replace virgin material in the manufacturing of new products reducing their carbon footprint and overall environmental impact.
During 2015 and 2016, NEWMOA collaborated with waste management authorities and a variety of stakeholders in four rural areas in Maine, Massachusetts, and Vermont to develop effective strategies to reuse and recycle carpet, furniture, mattresses, and large rigid plastic items. NEWMOA and the stakeholder groups:
- Developed a series of publications focused on best management practices
- Hosted workshops at project partner locations
- Hosted a national webinar to summarize the Project results and lessons learned
This material is based upon work supported by the Utilities Programs, United States Department of Agriculture. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the view of the Utilities Program. The views expressed on this webpage do not necessarily reflect those of NEWMOA, USDA, the Project Partners, or the NEWMOA member-states.
NEWMOA is an equal opportunity employer and provider.
Presentations
NEWMOA presented on Bulky Waste Reuse & Recycling Strategies at the following events:
Publications
NEWMOA prepared a series of guides to help local government officials in rural communities to better understand the options available for reusing and recycling furniture, mattresses, carpet, and large rigid plastic items, and to develop strategies for managing these wastes and diverting them from landfill disposal.
Partner Location Handouts
NEWMOA developed handouts customized for its partner locations for residents that include local options for reuse, recycling, and disposal of bulky items.
- Franklin County Solid Waste Management District, Massachusetts
- Worcester County / Central MA Communities, Massachusetts
- Central Vermont Solid Waste Management District, Vermont
- Northeast Kingdom Waste Management District, Vermont
Writable Handout Templates
Finally, NEWMOA created two writable template versions of the handouts so that additional communities could customize their own information based on their needs. Note: You will need Adobe Reader Version 8 or newer to edit these forms. Be sure to save the form on your computer as a PDF before editing the document.
- Template 1 Recycling – For use in communities where there are local recycling opportunities
- Template 2 Disposal – For use in communities encouraging proper disposal as the best option
This material is based upon work supported by the Utilities Programs, United States Department of Agriculture. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the view of the Utilities Program. The views expressed on this webpage do not necessarily reflect those of NEWMOA, USDA, the Project Partners, or the NEWMOA member-states.
NEWMOA is an equal opportunity employer and provider.
