Reduce 
Reuse Recycle
"Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot,
Nothing is going to get better. It's not."
~ Dr. Seuss, from The Lorax
IMPORTANT COVID-19 BULLETINS AND INFORMATION
DEEP's Waste Engineering & Enforcement Division ("WEED") has responded to a number of issues that have arisen as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. For information on issues relating to recycling in Connecticut, see below and visit the Materials Management COVID-19 web page. For COVID-19 information on other DEEP programs, visit the Main DEEP COVID-19 web page.
PRESS RELEASE REGARDING BOTTLE BILL REDEMPTIONS: Effective March 17, 2020, the Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection (DEEP) temporarily suspended enforcement actions against Connecticut retailers for failing to accept empty beverage containers for redemption under the law known as the “bottle bill.” During this time, if stores do not accept empty beverage containers, DEEP will not issue them a notice of violation.
UPDATE: Effective April 1, 2020, DEEP is extending the period of temporarily suspended enforcement actions through April 30, 2020.
DEEP has also created the following recommended signage for retailers to post if they choose to suspend deposit redemptions during this period of time:
— Retailer signage (horizontal version)
— Retailer signage (vertical version)
In 2015 we recycled and composted about 35% of our waste in Connecticut. That rate might seem impressive; however, it has remained relatively flat over the past decade. Connecticut still disposes of 2.4 million tons of trash annually, an estimated 1,370 pounds of trash per person per year. That's too much! We not only can do better, we must do better by transforming solid waste management into a materials economy that can create jobs through recycling .
Learn more about how we manage our waste in Connecticut and how to help us move toward our vision for even more waste reduction, reuse and recycling, by using the navigation links on the left and in the sections below. Specific information on local recycling programs and locations is available through your municipal recycling coordinator . DEEP's "What Do I Do With...?" webpage may help CT residents decide how to recycle or dispose of that not-so-common item. To learn more about how to recycle properly visit RecycleCT.
Recycling at Multi-Family Properties Flyer
Learn about CT's new Paint Recycling program.
Recycle your computers and TVs at these locations .
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Waste Reduction | |
Electronic Waste |
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Reuse | |
Construction & Demolition |
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Recycling | |
Household Hazardous Waste |
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Composting & Organics Recycling | |
Frequently Asked Questions |
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Event Recycling | |
Laws and Regulations |
Bulletin Board
The Bulletin Board announces hot topics of short duration, such as recycling events, webinars, meetings, etc. Check back often to see what interesting things are going on.
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Wanted: CT Colleges & Universities to Pilot a New Intercollegiate Reuse Website
DEEP is working to establish a web-based intercollegiate reuse network that will enable Connecticut Colleges and Universities to exchange usable items among each other instead of throwing them away. This network will be a password protected area of the Reuse Marketplace. We are currently looking for a handful of CT Colleges and Universities to help pilot the system. If you are interested and want to know more, please contact Chris Nelson at 860-424-3454.
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Ongoing
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Reuse Marketplace Website
The Connecticut DEEP is pleased to participate in the Reuse Marketplace - a website to help Capture Value, Exchange Reusable Items, Save Money & Reduce Waste. The Reuse Marketplace is a free regional website that businesses, municipalities, institutions and organizations can use for posting or obtaining reusable or surplus materials that would otherwise be disposed as trash. It’s is a quick and efficient way to manage surplus or gently used goods, which saves money and reduces waste disposal throughout Connecticut and the northeast region. Anyone can browse the website and obtain materials, but only businesses, municipalities, institutions and organizations can become members and offer items for reuse. Please check it out today and start reducing your carbon footprint
DEEP is working to establish an intercollegiate reuse network that will enable Connecticut Colleges and Universities to exchange items among each other instead of throwing them away. This network will be a password protected area of the Reuse Marketplace. We are currently looking for a handful CT Colleges and Universities to help pilot the system. If you are interested and want to know more, please contact the person below.
Questions can be directed to Chris Nelson of the Connecticut Dept. of Energy & Environmental Protection at 860-424-3454.
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Ongoing
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Webinar Series
Not all organizations have their webinar schedules planned for the entire year. It is recommended that you visit their webpage often for recent postings and/or join their mailing lists to be notified of upcoming broadcasts.
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Sustainable Materials Management (SMM) Web Academy - FREE
US EPA
The Sustainable Materials Management Web Academy (formerly the Resource Conservation Challenge, RCC) provides information to materials management stakeholders through webinars related to EPA’s Sustainable Materials Management Program. Learn about key issues, successful projects, and a variety of best management practices for creating stellar waste management programs. Hear from experts around the country on what works and what doesn’t, and how to make your program more successful. The format for the webinars will be a formal presentation followed by a question and answer session. Recordings of past SMM webinars are archived on-line.
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Monthly,
Thursday
1:00 EDT
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Sustainable Materials Management Webinar Series - Free
National Recycling Coalition and Pennsylvania Recycling Markets Center
This webinar series is made possible by a partnership between NRC and the Pennsylvania Recycling Markets Center (PARMC) and seeks to deliver innovative programming to those who are seeking integrated opportunities for materials management. Recordings of some past webinars are archived on-line.
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Monthly,
Third Tuesday
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College & University Recycling Coalition (CURC) Webinar Series -
In Partnership with Keep America Beautiful; Assoc. for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education; and Alcoa Foundation
CURC webinars featured recognized collegiate and industry recycling experts covering a range of topics related to sustainable materials management. Webinars from past years are archived on-line.
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Various Dates & Times
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Keep America Beautiful (KAB) Webinar Series - FREE
Keep America Beautiful is conducting a series of free educational webinars with topics covering issues of interest for their affiliates and partners.
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Various Dates & Times
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Product Stewardship Networking Webinar Series
To educate interested parties about recent product stewardship legislation and initiatives, PSI coordinates series of Networking Conference Webinars one to two times per year to allow participants across the nation to listen to expert presentations and ask questions on timely product stewardship issues. Some of the webinars are free, others have a fee associated with them. Webinars from past years are archived on-line.
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Various Dates & Times
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US Composting Council (USCC)
The USCC is hosting a series of webinars on a variety of topics related to composting, compost use and organics recycling. Please check their website often as they add webinars and registration information. Past webinars are also listed.
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Various Dates & Times
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Container Recycling Institute (CRI) Webinars
CRI hosts webinars throughout the year on topics of interest and importance to the recycling community. Some webinars are for CRI members only; others are free.
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Various Dates & Times
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