Don’t worry if you aren’t a recycling guru! We’ll get you up to speed and you’ll be a green whiz in no time.
Quick overview of what will go in each container:
- COMPOST – Food scraps + Everything sold by the HOCR food vendors – plates, cups, napkins, utensils.
- RECYCLE – Empty aluminum cans, plastic bottles, paper
- LANDFILL/TRASH – anything brought in from off-site: candy/gum/granola bar wrappers, chip bags. Coffee cups from outside vendors.
When in doubt, throw it out – we do not want to contaminate the compost container.
Food Scraps!
All of the HOCR food vendors are required to use compostable service ware. No need to scrape or separate food waste from the plates and utensils. And yes, even those forks! They are made from plants (cornstarch or bamboo) and are fully compostable in our collections. Cups, too!
If someone has food packaging or a cup from an outside source – it should go in the trash.
Compostables will be collected by Black Earth Compost
Compost will be collected in light green bags hooked to a metal frame with a green lid labeled “Compostables”
Same stuff that goes in your recycling at home – bottles and cans, paper and cardboard. NO plastic bags.
Bottles and cans must be EMPTY, caps stay ON
The only cups that can be recycled are CLEAR plastic cups. All other cups not bought at the Regatta would be a trash item. (Cups from HOCR vendors are compostable)
There will be no single-use plastic bottles for sale at the Regatta, but they are still recyclable and should go in the recycling containers.
Questions about what’s recyclable? Visit RecycleSmartMA
Recyclable items will be collected in clear plastic bags hooked to a metal frame with a blue lid labeled “Recycling”
Chip bags, Energy bar wrappers; Any food packaging that was not bought at the Regatta.
Coffee cups from outside vendors (please see above for CLEAR plastic cups)
When in doubt, throw it out.
Trash will be collected in cardboard boxes lined with black plastic bags.
Single-use, disposable cups that are not bought on-site are TRASH. This includes coffee cups, soda cups, styrofoam cups, and colored plastic cups. The coffee cups that look like paper are lined with plastic, so they are not recyclable.
The ONLY cup bought offsite that is recyclable is a CLEAR plastic cup – but put straw and lid in TRASH.
Cups bought from a HOCR food vendor are COMPOSTABLE.
We will also be collecting plastic bags and film from vendor set up.
We will help to collect the plastic film from the vendors generated during set up.
Your Volunteer lunch is COMPOSTABLE!
The Hospitality Committee worked with our caterer to have a compostable lunch! The food will be packaged in a compostable container and wrapper. The container, wrapper, and any leftover food is compostable. However, please note, the condiment packages and wetnaps will be a trash item. And don’t forget to RECYCLE your beverage bottle.
Click here for a downloadable HOCR Sustainability FAQ
