Beverly, Salem Combined Styrofoam Collection Day

SALEM, MA — Residents of Beverly and Salem are asked not to toss out styrofoam packaging from big box purchases and gifts this holiday season and instead recycle it through a joint collection day for the cities.

The recycling day will be Jan. 13 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Beverly High School on Sohier Road. Residents can also drop off the items at the Beverly Public Library on the lower level on Jan. 12 during open hours.

The collection is unable to take smaller or contaminated items such as food packaging, cups, takeout containers, or packaging peanuts but Save that Stuff can recycle larger, rigid items through a densifier process.

"As a certified Green Community, Salem has worked hard to protect our local environment, lessen our contributions to the climate crisis, and reduce the amount of solid waste we send to landfills," Salem Mayor Dominick Pangallo said. "I am proud of our community's ongoing commitment to addressing the challenges before us and view this as another opportunity to continue that ongoing work.

"I'm grateful to city staff, and local volunteers who have helped make this effort possible, and to the city of Beverly for partnering with us and hosting this event. I encourage Salem residents to bring Styrofoam to the event to be recycled."

This is a drive-through collection. Those dropping off items are advised to stay in their vehicles and have items ready to unload in a trunk, truck bed or hatchback.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)