The vast majority of individuals, homeowners, and business don’t think about where their trash ends up once it is picked up by the local waste management service. Though we may attempt to separate our recyclables and compost our organic kitchen waste, most of us rarely think about the final “resting place” for the hundreds of pounds of trash that we discard every year. Unfortunately, landfills across the country are quickly filling up and for residents of Framingham, MA, improper landfill practices have been shown to potentially cause serious public health crises. Below, we take a look at the current state of recycling in the state of Massachusetts. We then look at some of the serious problems with local landfills in the Middlesex and Worcester counties. Finally, we offer one simple solution to help businesses and individuals in Framingham reduce their waste footprint.

The State of Recycling in Massachusetts

According to one recent study, “Massachusetts generates 13.9 million tons of waste annually, of which 9.2 million tons are household and commercial waste, or municipal solid waste (MSW). Of the 13.9 million tons of waste generated annually, 52% (7.2 million tons) is recycled or diverted.” Though this does put Massachusetts among the states with the highest recycling rates, we are still well behind states like Maine, which have a recycling rate of 72 percent. Furthermore, the state of Massachusetts also had the second lowest amount of landfill waste per capita in the United States in 2019 with just over 16 tons of landfill waste per person.

Despite these statistics, there is a significant shortage of landfill space in the Commonwealth. One expert analyst stated that:

“The landfills are full, and unfortunately the public won’t know it until it hits their wallets. We are producing major volumes of waste, and I think we can do better with it. We can’t create new landfills, and the facilities that we need to handle what we do cost billions of dollars.”

 

In fact, due to stricter zoning restrictions that make it close to impossible to open new landfills in Massachusetts, much of our State´s trash is actually being trucked to the neighboring state of New Hampshire. The lack of long-term solution for responsible waste management has been specifically felt by the residents of Framingham.

The Toxic Legacy of Ashland, MA

Just down the street from Framingham, residents of Ashland, MA have suffered from years of contamination due to improper waste management practices. The Nyanza site, located in downtown Ashland, was a dumping ground for toxic dyes and other harmful chemicals for at least thirteen years in the 1960s and 1970s. According to one report, “before the EPA began cleanup, Ashland residents — especially children — would come into contact with contaminated water at the site. A 2006 state Department of Public Health assessment of the site found that those chemicals likely caused local residents to develop cancer, especially those who grew up in Ashland in the 1960s to the 1980s.”

Though most waste management companies avoid dumping toxic chemicals into our area landfills, electronic waste (e-waste) and other forms of waste still make their way into local dumps. Heavy metals, toxic chemicals, and other serious contaminants may very well continue to seep into local groundwater sources. The legacy of the toxic waste buildup in downtown Ashland should remind all of us that responsible waste management is a task we all share in.

Junk Removal Professionals to Help with Responsible Waste Management

So how exactly can individuals, homeowners, and businesses in Framingham and the surrounding area safely deal with their waste streams without further contributing to the landfill crisis we are facing? Hiring a junk removal service is certainly one way to get rid of your regular trash and other bulky junk items. Unfortunately, many junk removal companies will simply haul the trash they pick up directly to the local landfill.

For residents and businesses of Framingham, Junk King of Worcester is the top-rated junk removal company in the region that offers full-service junk removal. This means that our junk removal technicians will do all the heavy lifting and hauling so that you don’t have to go through the hassle of moving your heavy and bulky junk out of your home and business. We offer both residential and commercial junk removal service to help our clients safely and efficiently get rid of old appliances, beds and mattresses, bulky furniture televisions, refrigerators and freezers, used hot tubs, all sorts of construction waste, e-waste, and more. Anything that is not classified toxic waste can be hauled away by our trucks! Furthermore, all or our team members wear masks and have been trained in COVID-19 prevention techniques to limit the risks to you and your family.

We are proud to say that over 60 percent of the junk items that we pick up are eventually donated or recycled. After years of working in the junk removal industry, we have developed a huge network of relationships with donation facilities, thrift stores, and recycling operations where we can ensure that the majority of your junk items stay out of local landfills. We know that bulky junk items take up a lot of space in the local landfill, and we also know that there are hundreds of families and other businesses that would be happy to renovate and put to use many junk items. We provide our full service junk removal to the following communities around Worcester County: Acton, Agawam, Arlington, Ashburnham, Belmont, Chicopee, Framingham, Grafton, Lancaster, Lexington, Oxford, Shrewsbury, Southborough, Springfield Townsend, Waltham, Westborough, and Worcester. We can also offer our service to the Boston and Middlesex area.

Why You Should Pick Junk King for all your Junk Removal Needs

As the region´s top rated junk removal company, we offer our junk removal services to both residential and commercial customers. Whether you an individual that has dozens of bags of raked leaves that you want taken away as quickly as possible, or are a business owner needing to get rid of older computers and monitors taking up valuable office space, Junk King of Worcester County can help you will all of your junk removal needs. Our company provides superior value, service and effort, and can help you easily, efficiently and cost effectively free up space in your home or business without causing further environmental damage.

Besides being the greenest and most efficient junk removal service in the region, we are also proud to offer fair and transparent pricing mechanisms. For any junk removal need, you can simply call us at 1-888-888-5865 (JUNK), at (978) 212-3973, or book our services online. We provide free, on-site estimates, and can often haul away your junk on the same day you contact us. Call Junk King of Worcester today to inquire for the most environmentally responsible junk removal option.