Recycling Glossary

Recycling - It's more than paper, cans, and bottles! Do you know what to do with these materials?

If you don't see what you are looking for, check out the Mass.gov How and Where to Recycle website.

A

  • Appliances - containing Freon (e.g., A/C's, refrigerators, dehumidifiers): Pay posted fee to attendant at Recycling Center and leave in appliance area.
  • Appliances: - no Freon (e.g. washers, dryers, toaster and microwave ovens): Pay applicable posted fee for specific item to attendant at Recycling Center and leave in Electronics Shed.
  • Aerosol cans: Must be disposed with TRASH because of a potential fire hazard.

B

  • Barbecue Grills: If still in working order, leave at Swap Shop in season (April through October). If not usable, leave in Scrap Metal bin at Recycling Center.
  • Batteries, Car: Place on the pallet in the marked area at the Recycling Center.
  • Batteries, Household - Alkaline, single use: These don't need to be recycled! Dispose with non-recyclable rubbish. However, if you are uncomfortable with trashing your regular alkaline batteries, look for alternatives ant this site: EPA Guidelines.
  • Batteries, Household - Rechargeable and Button: Recycle in boxes located in Town Hall and Recycling Center.
  • Bicycles: Bicycles are actively traded all year long at the Recycling Center. Leave at the ski container near the Swap Shop in the bike rack.
  • Bottles and Cans, redeemable: Deposit bottles and cans are collected separately from commingled containers at the Recycling Center by the Lions Club to support programs for the blind and scholarships
  • Bottle Caps and Lids. All plastic Bottle Caps and Lids can be left on the clean, empty container and recycled with glass, metal, and plastic containers. Metal Caps and Lids are also recycled with glass, metal, and plastic containers.
  • Books: Donate your books at the Recycling Center in the Book container on the Natick side of the driveway. By donating your books to the container at the Recycling Center, you are helping More Than Words, a local youth empowerment program!
  • Box Springs: As of October 1, 2012 box springs are prohibited from Sherborn's trash. A dedicated container for recycling box springs and mattresses is available at the Transfer Station/Hap Ruane Recycling Center. There is a recycling fee for each unit; please see the Transfer Station attendant for a payment slip.

C

  • Cardboard Boxes (Corrugated): Although they can be recycled with paper, consider donating clean boxes for reuse to the UPS Store. Reuse is better than recycling because no energy is required to remanufacture the material into something else.
  • Caps and Lids. All plastic caps and lids can be recycled with glass, metal, and plastic containers. Metal caps and lids also should be recycled with glass metal and plastic containers. Caps and lids should be left on the container while recycling.
  • Catalogs: Stop Junk Mail, Block Unsolicited Mail, Opt-out of Unwanted Mail with Catalog Choice.
  • Cartons (beverage): Juice Boxes and gable-top Milk cartons are no longer recyclable at our facility (please place in trash).
  • Cell Phones: Give to attendant at Recycling Center for recycling.
  • Christmas Trees: Remove branches and use as winter bedding for acid loving plants. Chop up trunk and age for firewood or chip or compost or apply for a burning permit before April 30 online here.
  • Clothing: Place in container marked "Donate Clothing, Shoes, Linens, Small Toys." This collection box is for any textiles that are clean and dry. Stains or rips are not important. Anything that is not wearable will be made into industrial rags or shredded and turned into insulation. By donating your clothing, linens, shoes, belts, stuffed animals, linens, throw rugs, etc. to the container at the Recycling Center, you are contributing to reuse and helping Sherborn earn REVENUE!
  • Computers and Electronics: Computers, laptops, printers, fax machines, cd-roms, dvd-roms, VCRs, audio equipment, video games, disc drives, modems, cards, keyboards, mice, cables or plugs, pc speakers, recording, surveillance or camera equipment, and digital cameras can be left in Electronics Shed. Please consult this complete list for all the electronics you can recycle in the Electronics Shed. There is no charge for laptop/notebook computers, but please note that there is a charge for TV's (CRT or flat screen), and computer monitors (CRT or flat screen including "all-in-one" units).
  • Construction and Demolition Debris including wood: There is a limit of two 30 gallon barrels per week per household. Wood must be cut to lengths not greater than 4 feet. To dispose of larger quantities for a fee, call Covanta 508-429-9750. We will not accept asphalt, concrete, brick, or ceramic tile.

E

  • Electronics: Consult this complete list for all the electronics you can recycle for free in the Electronics Shed.

F

  • Food scraps (see Kitchen waste)
  • Furniture, Household items, Toys, etc. that are clean and in good repair or fixable: Bring to the main Swap Shop barn from April through November. Please put items in their proper areas inside the Swap Shop. From November to April we recommend Sherborn NextDoor, FraminghamFreecycle, or Savers in Framingham (500 Cochituate Road - Rte. 30).

H

  • Household Hazardous Wastes: The Recycling Center does not accept HHW, including oil-based paint. The Town sponsors one HHW collection per year, and has reciprocal agreements with other towns for residents to participate in collections in nearby towns. Call 508-653-3457 for more information. Or call Clean Harbors, 781-849-1800 x3100) to arrange to drop off your HHW for a fee.

I

  • Ink Jet Cartridges, Toner Cartridges: Recycle at Town Hall or Sherborn Library, or give to attendant at Recycling Center

J

  • Juice Boxes (and Milk Boxes) are not recyclable (place in trash). Straws are also trash.
  • Juice cartons (and milk cartons) with gable tops are not recyclable (place in trash).

K

  • Kitchen waste: Collect kitchen waste and set up a composting system at home. Compact "Earth Machine" composters may be purchased at town cost (currently $45) at the Recycling Center. For information on composting, go here!
    • Prefer not to compost your kitchen waste at home? Drop off your kitchen waste at the Transfer Station, (If you are a Ruane and Father customer, they will pick up food waste for composting.). For instructions on what is acceptable and what is not, please visit the Food Waste Collection Program page

L

  • Lawn Mowers if in working order can be left at the Swap Shop in season. If unrepairable, drain all fluids properly and leave in scrap metal bin at Recycling Center.
  • Light Bulbs, Incandescent and Fluorescent: Incandescent light bulbs (Thomas Edison invented these) and LED light bulbs go in the trash. Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs (CFLs) and Tubes contain mercury and are collected in Universal Waste Shed at the Recycling Center. LED light bulbs do not contain mercury, and can be disposed of as trash.

M

  • Magazines: Stop Junk Mail, Block Unsolicited Mail, Opt-out of Unwanted Mail with Catalog Choice.
  • Mattresses: A dedicated container for recycling mattresses and box springs is available at the Transfer Station/Hap Ruane Recycling Center. There is a recycling fee for each unit; please pay to the Transfer Station attendant.
    • For more information about the state policy on mattress recycling, visit the Mattress Recycling page.
  • Medicines: The Sherborn Police Department has a lock box for Rx drugs. Bring all your unwanted medicines for disposal to the Police Department and get rid of them safely, no questions asked. See this page for information: FDA Safe Handling of Unwanted Medicine
  • Microwave Ovens: There is now no charge for microwave ovens, but please leave them with the Transfer Station attendant for removal of the electronic circuit board prior to disposal of the remainder as scrap metal.
  • Milk Boxes (and Juice Boxes) are not recyclable (please place in trash).
  • Motor Oil: Give used but uncontaminated motor oil to attendant at the Recycling Center. Motor oil that has been mixed with any other substance (contamination includes non-petroleum substances such as water, anti-freeze, or other waste) must be saved for HHW day.

N

  • Needles and Syringes. Needles and syringes are not permitted in trash by Federal Law as of July 1, 2012. Sherborn residents may purchase sharps containers at medical supply stores and when they are full, follow the instructions on the container for mailing them back. Or you can check here to find a regional site for drop off.

P

  • Paints, Water-Based (Latex, or Acrylic): Dry or otherwise solidify the liquid (Spread and dry on old newspapers, or mix with kitty litter or other drying agent) and dispose of residue with trash.
  • Paper towels, paper napkins, tissues: These are not recyclable. Place in home compost bin or dispose with non-recyclable rubbish. These items may now be included with food scraps that are collected at the Transfer Station.
  • Pizza boxes: Remove solid food debris from box (grease stains are OK) and recycle box with mixed paper. Often the top of a pizza box is perfectly clean and recyclable.
  • Plastic Bags:  Plastic bags cannot be recycled at the Recycling Center. Please recycle at supermarkets and other stores listed on the following website. The bags are combined with sawdust and wood chips and made into composite lumber such as Trex.
  • Propane Tanks: Check with the attendant at Recycling Center for any applicable fee and leave in designated area.

S

  • Scrap Metal: All scrap metal parts are collected in the large scrap metal container at the Transfer Station/Recycling Center. See the attendant for assistance.
  • Sharps: See Syringes in the following.
  • Shelf stable liquid food containers for milk, soups, juices, and the like (also known as "aseptic containers") are not recyclable; place in trash.
  • Shredded paper should be placed in paper bags with the tops sealed or stapled shut so the contents do not blow away and the bags can be recycled with Paper.
  • Skates and Sleds can be left in the walk-in trailer next to the main Swap Shop barn all year long.
  • Sporting Goods that are still usable: Bring to the Swap Shop annex year round. The annex is the wooden Swap Shop building on the Natick side of the driveway. Please put items in their proper areas inside the annex (skis and weatherproof winter sports items may be left in the ski container next to the Main Swap Shop barn. Do not leave equipment that is moldy, smells bad, or has been rodent-infested.
  • Skis, boots and poles can be left in the walk-in trailer next to the Swap Shop barn all year long.
  • Spray attachment on spray bottles. The spray top on spray bottles can be recycled along with the plastic bottle with Commingled Containers.
  • Styrofoam™ (polystyrene packaging blocks): previous efforts at collecting and recycling Styrofoam proved prohibitively costly for the town. Please discard Styrofoam with regular trash.
  • Styrofoam food trays/containers/cups are NOT recyclable at the Transfer Station; place in Trash.
  • Styrofoam peanuts are NOT accepted at the Transfer Station for recycling. Either bag up and throw in trash OR check with local UPS store or other shippers, as some may accept used styrofoam peanuts.
  • Syringes and Needles. Syringes and needles are not permitted in trash by Federal Law as of 2012. Sherborn residents may purchase sharps containers at medical supply stores and when they are full, follow the instructions on the container for mailing them back. Or you can check here to find a regional site for drop off.

T

  • Televisions and Computer Monitors: Pay the posted fee to attendant at Recycling Center and place in Electronics Shed.
  • Tennis Balls: Used balls can be placed for dog toys in the Pet section of the main Swap Shop barn; otherwise, please discard with trash.
  • Textiles: Place in containers marked "Donate Clothing, Shoes, Linens, Small Toys." These collection boxes are for any textiles that are clean and dry. Stains or rips are not important. Anything that is not wearable will be made into industrial rags or shredded and turned into insulation. By donating your clothing, linens, shoes, belts, stuffed animals, linens, throw rugs, etc. to the container at the Recycling Center, you are contributing to reuse and helping Sherborn earn REVENUE!
  • Tires: A fee is charged for each auto tire left at the Recycling Center. Larger tires are market priced.
  • Tissues: These are not recyclable. Place in compost bin or dispose with non-recyclable rubbish.
  • Toner Cartridges: Recycle at Town Hall or Sherborn Library, or give to attendant at Recycling Center
  • Toys that are clean and in good repair or fixable: Bring to the Main Barn Swap Shop. Please put items in their proper spaces inside the toy section. When the Main Barn is closed, we recommend Sherborn NextDoor or FraminghamFreecycle or Savers in Framingham at 500 Cochituate Road (Rte. 30).
  • Twisty Ties: those paper covered lengths of thin wire meant to wrap around plastic bags or produce can be recycled with scrap metal!

W

  • Wrapping Paper: Except for foil papers and tissue paper, all other wrapping paper can be recycled with mixed paper. Foil and tissue papers should go in the trash.

Y

  • Yard Waste (grass, leaves, brush, etc.): The Recycling Center does not accept yard waste. We recommend backyard composting.