East Providence Asks Residents To Recycle Right Or Risk Fines

EAST PROVIDENCE, RI — The City of East Providence released a statement Tuesday asking residents to recycle right or risk paying fines.

The city said it continues to see a number of rejected recycle collection loads each year. For each contaminated load, Rhode Island Resource Recovery requires a $250 processing fee. The materials are then transported to a landfill and billed at the city's tipping fee, costing 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,” said Mayor Bob DaSilva in a statement. “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."

The City of East Providence amended health and sanitation ordinances last September, which now include fees for placing non-recyclable materials in the blue recycling bins. In accordance with Article III, Sections 6-40, violations may result in a fine of $50 per day.

“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,” said DaSilva. “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."

The city said recycling right will keep recycling workers safe, save money, provide high-quality raw materials to manufacturers, and preserve landfill space.

The following materials can be recycled in East Providence:

• Paper, cardboard, and cartons

• Metal cans, lids, and foil
• Glass bottles and jars
• Plastic containers

Materials that cannot be recycled and may result in fines include:

• Wood and textiles
• Shredded paper, napkins, tissues, and paper towels
• No metal, glass, or plastic that is not included in the above list
• Foam containers
• Containers that once held flammable materials or oily chemicals