Reform Rhode Island Recycling:

A Call To Action

CURRENT CHALLENGES

Rhode Island’s recycling efforts are falling short.

Even though 80% of households have access to curbside or drop-off recycling, the state’s overall recycling rate stands at 26%. Providence, the capital, is the worst performer, with diversion and recycling rates in the single digits, with 648 pounds of collected recyclables per household annually rejected due to contamination.

These inefficiencies result in over 121,000 tons of recyclable material being lost annually, a significant economic and environmental setback.

Rhode Island Recycling Shortcomings

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Recyclable Material Lost to Landfill

Despite Rhode Island's leadership on climate change and conservation, valuable recyclables — aluminum, glass, paper, and plastic — are being needlessly discarded in the Central Landfill.

Shockingly, all glass collected in the state is simply crushed and used as cover at the landfill – rather than being recycled – a wasteful practice that underscores systematic failures in the state’s recycling and waste program.

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Limitations of Current Programs

While existing curbside recycling is widely accessible, it fails to meet the state’s 35% recycling mandate due to inefficient and ineffective systems.

Rhode Island’s recycling and waste systems are outdated, overwhelmed and woefully inadequate, requiring urgent modernization and reform.

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Persistent Litter Problems

Litter remains a major problem in Rhode Island, from highways like I-95 to public spaces like Roger Williams Park and the Providence River. In the fall of 2023 alone, Save the Bay collected more than 135,000 pieces of trash, and the Rhode Island Department of Transportation spends $800,000 annually on litter cleanup along roadways.

Recyclable yet under-recycled beverage containers make up a sizable portion of the discarded litter polluting roadsides, parks, and shorelines, damaging natural ecosystems, environments and burdening advocates and taxpayers with expensive clean-up and restoration.

Environmental and Infrastructure Crisis

Rhode Island's recycling shortfalls contribute to multiple problems:

  • ●

    Central Landfill in Johnston is nearing maximum capacity and facing closure, due to an excess of preventable waste.
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    Litter continues to plague parks, roads, shorelines, and Narragansett Bay, damaging natural habitats and spaces.
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    Reliance on virgin materials with higher carbon footprints undermines the state's net-zero greenhouse gas goal.
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    Inadequate infrastructure fails to support domestic manufacturers' growing demand for high-quality recyclable materials.

A Solution

HIGH PERFORMANCE RECYCLING POLICY

Rhode Island can dramatically improve and transform its recycling outcomes by adopting and implementing a comprehensive high performance recycling policy, which integrates two proven approaches:

  1. 1

    Bottle Bill/Deposit Return System (Recycling Refunds): A system that empowers and encourages consumers to redeem, return and recycle beverage containers, be it cans or bottles – for cash!
  2. 2

    Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR): A policy that holds producers accountable for the entire lifecycle of their materials and products, including the cost to collect and process recyclables.

This producer-designed, –funded and –operated approach will maximize recycling rates, deliver economic and environmental benefits, and minimize environmental harm and pollution in the Ocean State, while saving taxpayer dollars.

BENEFITS FOR RHODE ISLAND

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Economic Growth and Jobs

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    Create Hundreds of Green Jobs: Boost recycling and waste employment, infrastructure, and wages.

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    Generate Millions in Economic Benefits: Support the local economy through recycling-related activities.

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    Better Stewards of Budget: Extend the life of the Central Landfill rather than paying to ship trash out-of-state or building a new landfill.

  • ●

    Save Taxpayers Money: Lower litter cleanup and landfill disposal charges, as well as eliminate municipal recycling collection costs, which add up to $15.6 million per year.

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Environmental Improvements

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    Reduce Litter: Dramatically decrease beverage container pollution.

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    Lower Carbon Footprint: Reduce reliance on virgin materials and associated energy and emissions.

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    Conserve Natural Resources and Protect Wildlife: Prevent pollution in sensitive areas and critical habitats.

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Circular Economy Leadership

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    Increased Recycling Rates: Achieve higher rates from 26% to at least 65% for all packaging and paper products and 85% for beverage containers.

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    Reduce Landfill Waste: Return millions of dollars in recyclables back into the market.

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    Support Manufacturers: Help meet recycled content goals and requirements and advance a circular and sustainable economy.

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    Align with Neighbors: Harmonize Rhode Island’s system with existing recycling refund systems in Connecticut and Massachusetts.

Time to Act

Rhode Island has a unique opportunity to lead in recycling modernization. By implementing a high performance recycling policy - with a combined Bottle Bill and EPR, such as House Bill 6207 - the state can reduce litter, pollution, and waste, protect its natural beauty and resources, and create a more circular and sustainable economy and future. The time to act is now.