EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — When waste that shouldn't be recycled is put in a recycling bin, the contents of the entire bin frequently gets tossed in the landfill, which ends up costing taxpayers. The city of East Providence said in 2024, the city had more than 2 million pounds of rejected recyclable waste. That rejected waste cost taxpayers $91,264.92. The Rhode Island Resource Recovery Landfill (WPRI-TV) Mayor Bob DaSilva called the recent numbers "absolutely shocking." Since 2021, taxpayers have paid more than $200,000 in fines and violations for rejected loads. "The City of East Providence will be embarking in a much more rigorous enforcement effort toensure people who are contaminating their recycling waste and costing all of the taxpayers tensof thousands of dollars are held accountable," DaSilva said. RELATED: What you should (and shouldn’t) toss into your recycling bin East Providence will be issuing violations to people who have plastic bags or other materials that aren't recyclable in their bins. Violations will have a potential fine of up to $50. Just 10% of contaminated waste can send an entire load of recyclable materials to the landfill, according to the city. If a load is deemed contaminated, Rhode Island Resource Recovery charges $250 to process the materials, which are then transported to the landfill and billed at the tipping fee the city pays for disposing of trash. Here's a breakdown of what can and can't be recycled: DO recycle Paper Cardboard Empty and rinsed cartons with tops on Metal cans Metal lids Clean bunched-up foil Glass bottles without lids Glass jars without lids Clean and empty plastic containers with lids DON'T recycle Shredded paper Napkins Tissues Paper towels Dirty containers of any kind Drinking glasses Foam containers Plastic containers that had flammable or oily materials Bags of any kind While there are recycling programs for plastic bags, they cannot go in your recycling bin. You can find a location to recycle plastic bags near you by clicking here. If you're still unsure about whether you can recycle a certain item, you can search the Rhode Island Resource Recovery's A-Z search tool by clicking here. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily Roundup SIGN UP NOW