EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — The City of East Providence said it is urging residents to be more mindful of recycling habits, adding that a lack of proper recycling is costing taxpayers “tens of thousands of dollars.” In 2024, over two million pounds of recyclable waste was rejected and dumped in the landfill, which cost taxpayers $91,264.92. Mayor Bob DaSilva said this is the result of “people in our community not properly recycling.” The City said that if just 10% of a load of recycled waste is contaminated, the entire load will be rejected, which is harmful for the environment and costly for taxpayers. For each contaminated load, Rhode Island Resource Recovery takes a $250 fee to process the waste, which is taken to the landfill and then billed at the city’s tipping fee, which pays for the disposal of trash. This process costs thousands of dollars each year. To prevent improper recycling, the city said it will issues citations to individuals with non-recyclable items found in recycling bins, which will cost $50 per violation. The City of East Providence reminds residents to recycle only the following in recycling bins: Paper, cardboard, and cartons Should be mostly clean, dry, and flattened Cartons must be emptied and rinsed Metal cans, lids, and foil Containers must be empty and rinsed Foil should be clean and bunched up Glass bottles and jars Plastic containers Do not recycle the following: Shredded paper, napkins, tissues, or paper towels Plastic coat hangers Foam containers Plastic containers that once held flammable materials or oily chemicals Plastic bags, bags of bags, or recycling inside of bags For more information, visit the City of East Providence’s website here. Categories: News, Rhode Island