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Public Works > News > Recycle Right Campaign helps Reduce Contamination in Cambridge Recycling
Recycle Right Campaign helps Reduce Contamination in Cambridge Recycling
The information on this page may be outdated as it was published 5 years ago.
One year ago, the City launched the Recycle Right campaign. Recycle Right was implemented in response to major changes in worldwide waste markets that were driving up the costs of recycling services in Cambridge and around the country.
Cambridge needed to quickly reduce contamination in recycling to make our program more resilient. We tagged thousands of contaminated curbside recycling carts with "Oops" to educate residents about what should and should not go into the single-stream recycling. We mailed thousands of postcards and advertised on bus shelters and Blue Bike stations. We talked to hundreds of neighbors door-to-door and at community events across the City.
We’re thrilled to share that as a result we reduced our average contamination rate from 10% to 7%. Thank you Cambridge for helping us make recycling more resilient. Remember: No plastic bags, clothes, hangers, electronics, nor food/liquid in curbside recycling, please. Thank you!
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