GREENFIELD, MA (FRANKLIN COUNTY NOW) — Single stream recycling began in Greenfield one month ago, however the grant-funded automated recycling vehicles are still delayed. The new vehicles would make the curb-side collection an automated, hands off process making collection safer and more efficient. The new vehicles are expected to arrive in early 2026. 

From the City of Greenfield:

Find out What’s Happening with Greenfield’s Transition

To Automated Single Stream Recycling

GREENFIELD — The City of Greenfield Department of Public Works continues to prepare for the

city’s transition from a manual, dual-stream recycling method to automated, single-stream

recycling. Join us at the John Zon Community Center on August 15, at 1 PM, where the Solid Waste

Infrastructure for Recycling (SWIFR) Team will provide an update on the program roll-out and

introduce our new SWIFR Outreach Coordinator. We’ll talk about single stream recycling,

recycling carts and cart placement, and answer your recycling program transition questions!

Single-stream recycling has begun in Greenfield. Our new, grant funded tractor trailer is being

used to haul our collected recyclables to the All American Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) for

processing. Unfortunately, our grant funded automated recycling vehicles are still delayed. We’re

hoping to receive the vehicles sometime in early 2026. Prior to the start of automated recycling

collection, two city-wide mailings will be distributed, to announce delivery of collection carts and

the start date of automated collection.

Since the first outreach meeting in June 2024, the SWIFR Implementation Team continues to

implement the public engagement phase of its three-year grant. SWIFR Outreach Coordinator

Marisa Shepherd is fostering open communication with residents through tabling events at the

Greenfield Public Library, the Greenfield Senior Center, area markets, residential housing

complexes, and more. Join us August 22 at 6 PM for Fridays on the Common as we “roll a recycling

cart” in the parade and hand out recycling stickers and temporary tattoos.

The SWIFR team remains focused on sharing important background information on the city’s

transition to automated recycling through flyers, posters, social media posts, and the Automated

Recycling Transition Webpage. This webpage provides an archive of past meetings and a variety of

at: https://greenfield-ma.gov/residents/automated_recycling_transition_/index.php

The webpage can also be found under the “Residents” navigation menu or the quick link on the

front page entitled “Automated Recycling Transition.”

In September 2023, the City of Greenfield received a $2.05 million grant from the United States

Environmental Protection Agency’s Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling (SWIFR) grant

program to implement single-stream recycling. The grant is implemented across a three-year

rollout period. The City of Greenfield received financial support from the EPA under Assistance

Agreement SCOOA01503.