City encourages residents to recycle right or risk paying fines
EAST PROVIDENCE, RI – The City of East Providence is educating and encouraging residents to recycle right or risk paying fines.
The City of East Providence sees a number of rejected recycle collection loads each year and is looking to residents to recycle right. If a load is deemed contaminated, Rhode Island Resource Recovery assesses a $250 equipment use/handling charge to process the materials, which are transported over to the landfill and billed at the tipping fee the City pays for disposing trash. This is costing the city – the taxpayers – thousands of dollars each year.
“Last year our City paid a total of $29,824.00 for rejected loads and that is just unacceptable,” Mayor Bob DaSilva said. “We have worked to educate the public on what is and is not recyclable, but bags of trash and plastic bags continue to be found in the recycle carts.
“In 2020, 342 tons of recyclable material of which some residents worked hard to separate and recycle was instead rejected and is now piled up in the landfill,” DaSilva added. “We are reminding residents once again no plastic bags, bags of bags, or recycling inside of bags in the recycle bins – let’s recycle right together.”
In September, the City amended health and sanitation ordinances to address the placement of non-recyclable material in trash bins, automated trash collection, rodent infestation and eradication and littering. The ordinances also address violations and fees including a fee for non-recyclable materials and trash placed in recycling containers. In accordance with Article III, Sec. 6-40 Disposal of Recyclables/Allowing Non Recyclables in Recycling Bin: Non-recyclable materials and trash placed within the blue recycling container may result in a fine of $50 per day.
Efforts to recycle right will keep recycling workers safe, save the City of East Providence money, provide high-quality raw materials to manufacturers, and preserve space in the central landfill.
Rejected Loads and Cost of Rejected Loads by Year
| Year | #Loads X Equipment Fee | Cost | Rejected Tons | Landfill Cost | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 55 X $250 | $13,750.00 | 342 tons X 47.00 | $16,074.00 | $29,824.00 |
| 2019 | 32 X $250 | $8,000.00 | 194 Tons X 47.00 | $9,118.00 | $17,118.00 |
| 2018 | 7 X $250 | $1,750.00 | 40 Tons X 47.00 | $1,880.00 | $3,630.00 |
| 2017 | 3 X $250 | $750 | 21 Tons X 47.00 | $987.00 | $1,737.00 |
| 2016 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2015 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Total Rejected loads 2015-2020 = $52,309.00
EAST PROVIDENCE REFUSE AND RECYCLING REMINDS RESIDENTS TO PLEASE RECYCLE ONLY THE FOLLOWING IN THEIR BINS:
PAPER, CARDBOARD, AND CARTONS
That's it—no other fiber products. For example, wood and textiles are made from natural fiber but they aren't paper, cardboard, or cartons, so they don't belong in your bin or cart. Paper and cardboard should be mostly clean and dry (a little grease on a pizza box is OK) and be flattened. Cartons must be empty at a minimum, and rinsed whenever possible. Place plastic tops back on to cartons prior to recycling.
No shredded paper, and no napkins, tissues or paper towels.
METAL CANS, LIDS, AND FOIL
That’s it—no other metal. For example, a metal frying pan is not a can, lid, or foil, so it doesn’t belong in your bin or cart. Containers must be empty at a minimum, and rinsed whenever possible. Foil should be clean and bunched up.
GLASS BOTTLES AND JARS
That’s it—no other glass. For example, a drinking glass is not a bottle or jar, so it doesn’t belong in your bin or cart. Containers must be empty at a minimum, and rinsed whenever possible. Remove metal tops from glass bottles and jars first, and recycle separately.
PLASTIC CONTAINERS
That’s it—no other plastic. For example, a plastic coat hanger is not a container, so it doesn’t belong in your bin or cart. Containers must be empty at a minimum, and rinsed whenever possible. Place plastic tops back on to containers prior to recycling.
No foam containers, or plastic containers that once held flammable materials or oily chemicals like gasoline, motor oil, antifreeze, pesticides or herbicides.
