Reuse & Recycle
Remember the impact of the Re's in order from greatest to least: Refuse > Reduce > Reuse (including Repair) > Recycle - see Waste Reduction for more information
If you are delivering items or having them picked up, consider coordinating with your neighbors to use a single trip
Recycling and trash information for the Town of Hopkinton
Massachusetts law prevents certain items from being included in the trash including recyclable paper, plastics, glass, leaves, textiles, electronics, white metal, and mattresses.
Curbside pickup of paper, glass, metal (free)
Drop off: electronics (fee), white metal, leaf and brush, as well as items accepted in curbside recycling
See the web page for hours and fees
Follow the DPW recycling guidelines (like no film plastics) to help make the process more efficient and valuable
Schedule a pickup from Helpsy for textiles to be recycled, once you have 3 bags worth
Hazardous waste can be brought to the DPW once a year, usually in July, or see other options below
Watch this video about how the recycling operation for Hopkinton works
Hopkinton trash collection is via weekly curbside pickup of containers. For extra trash, use a bag you can buy at Price Chopper. Our trash is incinerated.
Where you can give or get items for extended life or responsible disposal
Books, CDs, DVDs - the public library or St. Paul's on Wood St. drop off bin
Can and bottle redemption (the ones with the $.05 or more on the label)
All stores accept items sold at their store, like Price Chopper
Local non-profit collections like:
Hopkinton Trails Club - collects cans at the recycling center (394 Wood St) - their website posts dates
Scouts - collect cans at Ice House Pond on a regular basis - look for signs there (near 50 W Main St.)
Senior Center - accepts cans on Saturdays at the recycling center (394 Wood St)
Clothing - see Multiple Items and Textiles
Coats - seasonal collection drives:
St. John's the Evangelist on Church St. with the Knights of Columbus
Sacred Heart on Main St. in Milford
Consignment shops are a great way to find used items and sell or donate them for others to use - do an online search for locations and hours
Contact lenses - expired or unused packs can be recycled at Hopkinton Vision Center or Hopkinton Eye Associates
Hazardous waste items must be saved and disposed of safely
Especially with this kind of item, buy only what you need, use up what you have, and recycle any leftovers
DPW has a dropoff day each year, usually in July
If you can't wait for or be at the town's recycling day, you can use an NEDT for-fee MA drop-off facility in Sutton or Westfield
Household items - see Multiple items and Textiles
Electronics recycling or trade-in
At Best Buy: from cables to printers to TVs. Some have a fee and there are daily limits
Eyeglasses - donate used eyeglasses via dropboxes in town, sponsored by the Hopkinton Lions Club: see locations here
Furniture - see Multiple items
Legos - try getting, donating or reselling locally first, but if you can't, return used bricks to the LEGO company
Local online exchanges to get and give/sell items
Facebook groups:
Craigslist - Boston and Central MA
Mattresses
In good condition - can be donated (for example to the Central Mass Housing Alliance Clearinghouse)
Green Mattress in Milford has a drop-off option or you can schedule a pickup: they strive to recycle and reuse over 95% of the mattress components
UTEC in Lowell, an organization helping youth with challenges, accepts mattresses and boxsprings: call to pay in advance
Not suitable for reuse - can be taken by removal firms (usually for a fee) or dropped off - see Multiple Items, below, and see this list for additional options
When you buy a new mattress, the retailer will often take your old one
Multiple items if you have a lot to disperse at once or have big, hard to dispose of items:
Our committee sponsors a recycling event every fall where you bring a carload and for a fee, it's dispersed responsibly by Green Team Junk Removal
Need someone to come to your place or do you have big items or multiple items? These are for fee services:
Green Team Junk Removal - the service that helps us with the annual recycling event, they ensure the vast majority of items are reused or recycled
Harvey - the town's trash and recycling service can pick up large items
Affordable Junk Removal - takes away your stuff, reselling and recycling what they can
Conigliaro in Framingham accepts mattresses, foam, tires, old sinks, and more
Local charitable organizations accept items for reuse and some offer pick up
Big Brother / Big Sister accepts clothing, toys, household items, instruments, and books - schedule a pickup for when they are in town
Project Just Because of Hopkinton welcomes food, gently used clothing, household items, and toys; they provide a furniture network to give/get items
Fresh Start Furniture Bank in Hudson accepts kitchen items, linens, lamps, artwork, and furniture in clean and working condition
Habitat for Humanity Restore in Ashland accepts and sells building materials, exercise equipment, furniture, garden tools, and more, which you can drop off or have picked up from your place
Savers accepts and resells many types of items at their locations in Framingham, Marlborough and more
Packaging - foam and peanuts may be accepted by Storopack, 125 Flanders Road, Westborough, Phone - 800 827 7225 or email packaging.us@storopack.com
Plastic bags & plastic film recycling - Single use plastic bags and stretchy plastic (called film) can be dropped off at the Price Chopper bin (where the cans and bottles are), as well as at other locations
In 2022, the High School Environmental Club is collecting film plastic at a drop-off bin in the atrium
Sneakers - HHS Girl Scout Troop 65294 repurposes sneakers via GotSneakers.com. Take your used sneakers to bins at Jump Start Physical Therapy (Natick), PR Running (Westboro), and Resilience Fitness (Hopkinton)
Sporting equipment
Ski swap held annually in Westborough where you can sell or buy used equipment
Textile donations
Drop off bins around Hopkinton accept textiles including these bins, and many more
Middle School - proceeds going to the PTO
St. Paul's on Wood St
Used clothes and shoes can be returned to participating retailers like H&M, Zappos, Patagonia, and more
Helpsy will collect textiles from your home - schedule a pickup once you have 3 bags worth
Toys and Stuffed Animals
New Day Syria accepts many items, including games and stuffed animals at drop off locations including one in Shrewsbury
Yard and rummage sales are great places to get and to give
Hopkinton Lions Club holds a community yard sale every May - contact them to sell your items or attend to buy items
Other non-profit organizations in town regularly hold rummage sales at their facilities including St. John's on Church St, Historical Society and more - look for lawn signs, notices in the local papers, and social media postings
More info and options
Check out the Hopkinton Public Library where you can borrow not only physical and online books and AV recordings but all kinds of things - try something before you buy it, or borrow it if you only need it occasionally
Refuse, reduce, reuse, recycle from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Find a place to donate nearly anything at Beyond the Bin Recycling Directory
See how your recylables are processed
Repair
Rather than discard things that are no longer in the condition you need, try repairing them