Rowley, Newburyport — That old mattress can’t go out to the curb for regular trash pickup any longer. Neither can your old clothes.
A new state law, beginning Nov. 1, require that mattresses and textiles be kept out of the trash. They must be recycled or donated for reuse.
The Town of Rowley has installed a new textile recycling bin in the rear parking lot of the Town Hall Annex, 39 Central St. Residents can deposit clothing shoes, linens, duffle bags, gloves, draperies, handbags, tablecloths and even stuff animals.
All items must be clean, bagged and placed in the bin.
The City of Newburyport partners with UTEC for mattress recycling, and residents can pay $20 to recycle their mattress at the Recycling Center or through a home pickup. Call the Recycling Department at 978-465-4410 to arrange a pickup. If the mattress is moldy, soaking wet, or bug infested, it cannot be recycled and must be disposed of in the trash at a cost of $30, which can be arranged through the City by purchasing a sticker.
Similarly, clothing, footwear, bedding, towels, curtains and fabric must also be donated at a thrift shop or deposited in a clothing bin. If the clothing is soiled, moldy or bug-infested, you throw it out with the rest of your trash.
For more information on these changes and the reasons for them, read the MassDEP newsletter Waste Bans 101: Less Trash for a Cleaner Massachusetts.
The city Recycling office can also answer questions at (978) 465-4410 or by e-mail at lhanke@cityofnewburyport.com.
Rowley has placed a textile recycling bin in the rear parking lot of the Town Hall Annex at 39 Central Street. Residents can drop off clothing, shoes, linens, sheets, pillows, blankets, hats, duffle bags, belts, gloves, towels, draperies, handbags, tablecloths, bathrobes, and stuffed animals. All items must be dry, bagged, and placed into the bin.
