The following is a press release from the Mayor's Office:

Residents will receive large wheeled-carts for all recycling

Beginning July 14, residents of West Roxbury will be the next neighborhood to participate in Mayor Menino’s “Recycle More” program. The Boston Public Works Department will be distributing a 95-gallon wheeled-cart to every residence. Residents are asked to put their paper, cardboard, bottles, cans and plastic containers, mixed together, into the cart. No more sorting.

Often 50 percent of household trash is recyclable. The current 14-gallon recycling bins are too small for all the recycling in a household. Last May, Mayor Menino and the City’s Public Works Department tested collecting its residential recyclables mixed together in one large recycling container as a way to increase participation, tonnage, and cleanliness of the City’s weekly curbside recycling collection program. This collection method is known in the recycling industry as “single-stream” collection. The “Recycle More” program yielded a 50 percent increase in tonnage in the Jamaica Plain/Roslindale pilot and a 150 percent increase in the South End. The “Recycle More” program not only provides environmental benefits but saves City resources. For every ton of trash residents recycle, the city saves $70 on residents’ trash disposal fee.

“I am planning to role-out the Recycle More program citywide over the next 2 to 3 years,” Mayor Menino said. “

In addition to the increase capacity that the carts provide, they have lids which prevent recycling from blowing out onto the streets on windy days. Residents will continue to put their recycling out on the same day and time as they always have. Carts will be provided to residences with six or less units.

Representatives of the Boston Public Works Recycling Division will host an information meeting on Wednesday, July 9 at 6:30 PM at the Roche Family Community Center located at 1716 Centre Street. Residents are encouraged to attend to learn more about the program.