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Mandatory Recycling Regulations
As of April 14, 2023, the Town of Falmouth requires all residents, guests, businesses, and institutions to recycle materials that are on Mass DEP’s Waste Ban list. This includes items such as glass bottles and jars, plastic and metal food and drink containers, paper, cardboard as well as bulky materials including mattresses, clothing and textiles, leaves and yard waste.
Commercial generators* of waste and/or recycling which do not already contract for private recycling services will be required to do so, and trash haulers will be required to offer recycling services to all of their Falmouth customers.
*This category includes property owners, renters, tenants, lessees, permittees, event organizers, and occupants of any commercial, industrial, institutional, nonprofit, municipal, school, mixed-use building, time-shares, or any other non-residential generators of waste in Falmouth.
Background: Falmouth Town Meeting (04.04.22) authorized the Board of Health to implement a mandatory program for recycling certain waste materials in the town. The regulations were drafted jointly by the Falmouth Board of Health and Solid Waste Advisory Committee members, and after over a year of development and several public comment sessions, they were approved by the State Attorney General and adopted by the Board of Health on December 19, 2022.
Public Information Session: Wednesday, March 29, 2023
Mandatory Recycling Regulations
- Hosted by Falmouth Solid Waste Advisory Committee
- Panelists from Falmouth DPW, Falmouth Health Department, Falmouth Chamber of Commerce
This event has already taken place. Please see links below to staff slides and FCTV video.
View Slides: Mandatory Recycling Info Session
FCTV Video of March 29 Mandatory Recycling Meeting
Full Text of Regulations
Mass DEP Waste Ban Fact Sheet
Quick Jump to Section:
Download/Print Information Sheets for Residents, Businesses, & Haulers
Exemption Form for Commercial Generators of Recyclable Materials
"Talking Trash" column about Mandatory Regs. 03.31.23
FAQs for Falmouth Residents, Guests, and Visitors - March 2023
Why does Falmouth need “Mandatory Recycling”? This Mandatory Recycling Regulation reinforces compliance with, and gives Falmouth officials authority to enforce, the state “Waste Bans” at the local level.
What are Waste Bans? Massachusetts bans many hazardous and recyclable materials from disposal in landfills or by incineration. The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) introduced the first bans in 1990. Additional waste bans are phased in over time, along with the infrastructure to support recycling.
Mass DEP Waste Ban Fact Sheet- https://www.falmouthma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/14242/Waste-Ban-Facts
Do I have to follow the Mandatory Recycling Regulations? Yes. Everyone that lives, works, or plays in Falmouth is subject to these regulations, including every property owner, renter, or occupant of every dwelling unit in town. NOTE: Organizers of special events of all sizes are also subject to these regulations.
Why do I need to recycle? Recycling helps our community reduce the amount of material disposed of in the Town of Bourne landfill, saving very limited and valuable landfill space for materials that cannot be recycled. Recycling also supports the recycling economy and allows for the reuse of materials.
Is someone going to inspect my trash can every week? No, but Falmouth’s curbside trash and recycling contractor instructs its staff to observe the materials left in both the trash and recycling containers. Drivers are authorized to reject trash containers if they see a large amount of recyclable materials inside, the same way they will reject recycling carts containing trash or contaminants. Town officials or their designees may also survey trash and recycling receptacles to assess participation and compliance with town waste reduction programs.
How can I recycle if I live in an apartment and my landlord doesn’t provide recycling containers? Starting April 14, 2023, all multi-family property owners will be required to either contract for recycling collection or self-haul to a transfer station or recycling facility.
I live in an apartment in a commercial building - why can’t I just put my recyclables at the curb for municipal pick-up? Apartments in commercial buildings are not eligible for municipal curbside service for trash or recycling. The property owner is responsible for contracting trash and recycling collection service. Municipal recycling carts are intended for use by “curbside eligible” residences only.
Can I take my recycling to the Falmouth Waste Management Facility myself? Yes, residents or property owners may haul their own recyclable materials to Falmouth’s Waste Management Facility (WMF) at 458 Thomas Landers Road. Recycling at the WMF will require purchase (in advance) of an annual sticker or a one-time one-day pass and incur a fee at the gate.*
* Falmouth Residents or Small Business Owners bringing recyclable materials to the WMF must have a sticker or pay for a one-day pass and will be charged $2.50 / per each 32 Gallon quantity of material. To be accepted, materials must be clean, dry, and free of trash or other contaminants, and must not be left in plastic bags. (Program begins 04.10.23) *
Please see the town website for current WMF fee information and hours of operation: https://www.falmouthma.gov/170/Waste-Management
NOTE: Building owners will need to file a RECYCLING SERVICE EXEMPTION FORM FOR COMMERCIAL GENERATORS with the Health Department to show that they are following the new regulations. Download form here: https://www.falmouthma.gov/1400/Mandatory-Recycling-Regulations
What materials are considered “Curbside” recyclable? Curbside recyclables include the following clean, dry, and loose (do not bag) materials:
• Recyclable paper, cardboard, and paperboard (including pizza boxes); shredded paper is not accepted
• Glass and metal containers
• Plastic containers in all colors except black (i.e., drink bottles, consumer containers, etc.)
What about Clothing, Textiles, Mattresses, etc.? Several types of materials are banned from your trash but are not accepted in your curbside recycling cart. Refer to the Town web pages (below) to find drop-off locations for recycling of these items.
Where can I learn more about how and where to recycle?
Curbside Recycling- https://www.falmouthma.gov/968/Curbside-Trash-Recycling
Bulky Materials- https://www.falmouthma.gov/1254/Bulky-Hard-To-Recycle-Materials
Textiles- https://www.falmouthma.gov/1253/Textile-Recycling
Food- https://www.falmouthma.gov/1274/Food-Scrap-Composting
Waste Oil, Batteries, Fluorescent Bulbs, etc. – https://www.falmouthma.gov/172/Fees-for-Special-Items
Contact Recycling & Solid Waste Coordinator Mary Ryther at mary.ryther@falmouthma.gov
FAQs for Falmouth Businesses - March 2023
Why does Falmouth need “Mandatory Recycling”? This Mandatory Recycling Regulation reinforces compliance with, and gives Falmouth officials authority to enforce, the state “Waste Bans” at the local level.
What are Waste Bans? Massachusetts bans many hazardous and recyclable materials from disposal in landfills or by incineration. The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) introduced the first bans in 1990. Additional waste bans are phased in over time, along with the infrastructure to support recycling.
Mass DEP Waste Ban Fact Sheet- https://www.falmouthma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/14242/Waste-Ban-Facts
Do I have to follow the Mandatory Recycling Regulations? Yes. Everyone that lives, works, or plays in Falmouth is subject to these regulations, including every property owner, renter, or occupant of every dwelling unit in town. These regs also apply to every commercial, industrial, institutional, nonprofit, municipal, school property and activity (and/or any other non-residential entity) that generates solid waste or recycling within the Town of Falmouth.
According to Mass DEP, “Waste generators are responsible for ensuring that they do not contract for the disposal of banned items.” The Mandatory Recycling Guidelines are focused on the recyclable materials that the state already bans from disposal, such as plastic, metal, and glass containers.
NOTE: Organizers of special events of all sizes are also subject to these regulations.
Why do I need to recycle? Recycling helps our community reduce the amount of material disposed of in the Town of Bourne landfill, saving very limited and valuable landfill space for materials that cannot be recycled. Recycling also supports the recycling economy and allows for the reuse of materials.
Can I have my commercial Recycling picked up at the curb by the Town? No, curbside recycling (and trash) is limited to residential properties.
What if my commercial trash hauler won’t take my Recycling? Trash haulers working in Falmouth will be required to comply with these regulations beginning April 14, 2023. As part of their annual license renewal with the Board of Health, solid waste haulers must document that they offer recycling to their customers and must provide information to the Board of Health on the Materials Recovery Facility (MRF), where they take their customers’ recycling. I own a commercial building with a couple of apartments above.
Can my tenants put their Recyclables at the curb for Town pick-up? Apartments in commercial buildings are not eligible for municipal curbside service for trash or recycling. As the property owner, you are responsible for contracting trash and recycling collection service.
Can I take my Recycling to the Waste Management Facility myself? Yes, business owners and others who are not part of the Falmouth’s curbside collection program may haul their own recyclable materials to Falmouth’s Waste Management Facility (WMF) at 458 Thomas B. Landers Road. Recycling at the WMF will require purchase (in advance) of an annual sticker or a onetime one-day pass and incur a fee at the gate.
* Falmouth Residents or Small Business Owners bringing recyclable materials to the WMF must have a sticker or pay for a one-day pass and will be charged $2.50 / per each 32 Gallon quantity of material. To be accepted, materials must be clean, dry, and free of trash or other contaminants, and must not be left in plastic bags. (Program begins 04.10.23) *
Please see the website for current fee information and hours of operation: https://www.falmouthma.gov/170/Waste-Management
Business/Commercial Generators of Recyclable Materials who choose to haul their own recyclable materials will need to file a RECYCLING SERVICE EXEMPTION FORM FOR COMMERCIAL GENERATORS with the Health Department.
- Download Exemption Form here https://www.falmouthma.gov/1400/Mandatory-Recycling-Regulations
Do I have to sort the recyclables from the trash thrown into the publicly accessible barrels outside my shop? No, these regulations acknowledge that publicly accessible receptacles in public spaces cannot always be monitored for contamination. Example: Receptacles in a parking lot outside of a convenience store will be exempt, as we acknowledge that business owners cannot be expected to sort materials that customers and members of the public dispose in them. However, it would be very helpful to encourage your patrons to use well-marked recycling receptacles inside your shop or restaurant.
What materials are considered Recyclable? Single-stream recyclables include the following clean, dry, and loose (do not bag) materials: • Recyclable paper, cardboard and paperboard (including pizza boxes) • Glass and metal containers • Plastic containers in all colors except black (i.e., drink bottles, consumer containers, etc.) Many other types of materials are banned from disposal but are not accepted in single-stream recycling.
Refer to the Town web pages (listed below) to find drop-off locations for recycling.
Other materials banned from disposal, but which may be dropped-off for recycling at the WMF, include:
- Clothing and Textiles (use clothing/textile collection boxes at local schools or the WMF - no fee)
- Mattresses and Box Springs (WMF- fee required)
- Appliances (WMF- fee required)
Where can I learn how to recycle properly at my business?
- Mass DEP Guidance for Business Owners- fact-sheet-your-business-the-waste-bans/download
- Mass DEP Guidance for Property Managers- fact-sheet-property-managers-the-waste-bans/download
- Recycling Works- general https://recyclingworksma.com/
- Recycling Works- compliance https://recyclingworksma.com/waste-bans-and-compliance/
- Other Resources
- Recycle Smart Massachusetts- https://recyclesmartma.org/.
- Plastic Bag/Wrap Recycling Opportunities www.plasticfilmrecycling.org
- Contact Recycling & Solid Waste Coordinator, Mary Ryther at mary.ryther@falmouthma.gov
- See other Town of Falmouth recycling web pages in lefthand menu bar.
- Recycle Information
- Bulky & Hard To Recycle Materials
- Textile Recycling
- Fees for Special Items
- Recycling at Special Events
FAQs for Haulers - March 2023
Massachusetts Waste Bans- Massachusetts already bans many hazardous and recyclable materials from disposal in landfills or by incineration. Falmouth’s Mandatory Recycling Regulation reinforces compliance with, and gives Falmouth officials authority to enforce, the state “Waste Bans” at the local level.
According to Mass DEP, haulers who transport materials to disposal facilities are subject to waste ban requirements. https://www.mass.gov/doc/guidance-brief-haulers-waste-ban-compliance/download
Do Haulers have to follow the Mandatory Recycling Regulations? Yes, and solid waste haulers operating in Falmouth must offer recycling collection to all their customers.
As part of their annual license renewal with the Board of Health, solid waste haulers must document that they offer recycling to their customers and must provide information to the Board of Health on the Materials Recovery Facility (MRF), where they take their customers’ recyclable materials.
NOTE: Everyone who lives, works, or plays in Falmouth is subject to these regulations. They apply to every residential, commercial, industrial, institutional, nonprofit, municipal, or school property and every special event that generates solid waste or recycling within the Town of Falmouth.
What are the requirements for Haulers? Upon the initial provision of solid waste collection services to new customers permitted haulers shall notify customers, in writing, of:
- The availability of the collection of recyclable material
- The materials designated for recyclables collection
- The rules and regulations as established by the collector for the orderly collection of recyclable material
The permittee shall provide to the Department of Public Works tonnage of solid waste and/or recycling and/or compostables, or a reasonable estimation thereof, on a monthly basis to include location of disposal, recycling, and/or compost facilities.
The permittee shall notify the Board of Health or designee of the chronic or serious waste ban violations of their customers. Such notice shall be evidence of noncompliance for purposes of any investigation by the Board of Health or designee into violations of these regulations.
In the event that a permittee receives a Notice of Noncompliance for noncompliant loads at disposal or recycling facilities from the MassDEP, the permittee shall notify or provide copies of the Notice of Noncompliance to the Board of Health within 30 days of receipt thereof.
What if my commercial customers refuse to accept recycling collection?
- Falmouth business owners will be required to comply with these regulations beginning April 14, 2023.
- If a customer refuses recycling collection, the customer must file a RECYCLING SERVICE EXEMPTION FORM FOR COMMERCIAL GENERATORS with the Health Department.
- Form available at-https://www.falmouthma.gov/1400/Mandatory-Recycling-Regulations
- Those choosing to contract with another hauler (for recycling) must file an Exemption Form.
- Haulers must notify Board of Health of all customers who requested the Exemption Form rather than accepting recycling collection.
Additional Information
Mass DEP 310 CMR 19.017 Current Waste Ban Information- https://www.mass.gov/doc/fact-sheet-what-are-the-massachusetts-waste-bans/download
Mass DEP Guidance for Commercial Haulers- https://www.mass.gov/doc/guidance-brief-haulers-waste-ban-compliance/download
Mass DEP Webinar Slides- Presentation for Haulers (June 2022)- https://www.mass.gov/doc/presentation-waste-ban-webinar-for-haulers-june-2022/download
Contact Recycling & Solid Waste Coordinator, Mary Ryther at mary.ryther@falmouthma.gov