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Para português/Pou Kreyòl Ayisyen/សម្រាប់់ភាសាខ្មែែរ។/中文版

How can I help make sure my new carts are delivered and my old carts are picked up?

To help ensure your carts get delivered/removed efficiently, place all of your carts at the curb the night before your delivery/removal day and leave them there until at least 6 p.m. on your delivery/removal day.

While your new carts will be delivered and your old carts will be removed on the same day, delivery and pickup are done by different crews. That means that the swap out of old carts for new carts will not be simultaneous. For example, your old carts could be removed in the morning, but your new carts may not be delivered until the afternoon.

My neighbors got their new carts, but I didn’t get mine. Who do I call?

Fill out this form or call the Mayor’s Center for City Services by dialing 3-1-1.

I got my new carts, but my old carts were not collected. Who do I contact to get them taken away?

Fill out this form or call the Mayor’s Center for City Services by dialing 3-1-1. Trash and recycling in old carts will not be collected. ​

Why are we getting new trash and recycling carts?

There are three main reasons why Providence needs new trash and recycling carts:

• • Our old carts are more than 10 years old and rapidly breaking down. 

  • Our old carts are mismatched and too small, contributing to Providence’s worst-in-the-state recycling rate. Mismatched carts lead to confusion about which cart is for trash, and which cart is for recycling, resulting in bags of trash being thrown away in recycling carts.

  • Contaminated recyclables are costing the City almost $2 million each year. When a recycling cart is contaminated with bags of trash, food, loose plastic bags, clothing, scrap metal, small appliances, or other nonrecyclable items, the entire recycling truck’s load may be rejected by the state’s recycling facility and dumped in the landfill instead. This costs taxpayers money since recycling is processed for free, while the City is charged for landfill-bound waste.

How will these new carts fix our recycling rates?

The new carts will all be 95 gallons – the larger variety. By providing larger carts, we hope to reduce incidents where overflow trash is placed in recycling carts. To limit confusion, cart colors will be standardized. New trash carts will be gray with black lids and the recycling carts will be all blue. Each cart will include a permanent label to help residents determine how to dispose of various items. Combined with heightened education and enforcement efforts we aim to reduce contamination rates and avoid unnecessary landfill fees. 

How much will these carts cost?

Up to $7,363,750 for carts for up to 62,500 households.

That seems like a lot of money. Who's paying for this?

All new trash and recycling carts were purchased using grant funds and low-interest financing to reduce the financial impact on taxpayers. Further, if contamination decreases as a result of the new carts, as expected, the City will see savings from reduced landfill fees.

Isn’t the real problem a lack of public education and enforcement?

Replacing trash and recycling carts is just one strategy the City intends to implement to improve its recycling rate and reduce costs. We will also:

• • Work with our waste hauler (Waste Management) to target education and enforcement down to the building level.

  • Increase internal Department of Public Works (DPW) education and enforcement efforts.

  • Work with a community-based organization to implement in-person public education campaign.

  • Implement a print/mail-based education campaign, beginning citywide, then targeting neighborhoods with low recycling rates.

Where are the old carts going?

The City’s cart vendor will both deliver new carts and remove old carts. The old carts will be recycled and the resin will be used for new carts in the future. Additionally, new carts will be manufactured using approximately 30% recycled resin.

What can be recycled in my recycling cart?

Only recycle paper, cardboard (flattened), cartons, metal cans, metal lids, clean aluminum foil, glass bottles, glass jars, and plastic containers. That’s it! All other items, for example, a paper towel, a metal pot, a drinking glass, or a plastic utensil are not recyclable, even though they’re made of similar materials. Recyclables should be empty and rinsed. To learn more about the City's recycling program,click here. For questions about whether a specific item is recyclable, check out RIRRC's A-Z Recycling Guide.

What cannot go in my recycling cart? 

The items that most frequently contaminate recycling carts in Providence and should never go in your recycling cart are bags of trash, clothing, loose plastic bags & plastic wrap, Styrofoam, food & liquids, and recyclables inside plastic bags (always keep recyclables loose in your cart or in a paper bag). When in doubt, throw it out!