City encourages residents to use bags for excess waste, invites local businesses to participate in contamination prevention program
December 24, 2018
PROVIDENCE R.I.- Mayor Jorge Elorza, along with Waste Management and WasteZero, announced the launch of the Overflow Trash Bag Program, offering residents official excess trash bags for purchase at local businesses in the city. In an effort to prevent recycling contamination, especially during the holiday season, the purchase of these Providence-specific overflow trash bags allows residents to place excess acceptable household refuse for curbside collection in addition to their normal pick up.
“We want residents to enjoy their holiday while ensuring we are continuing to recycle right,” said Mayor Elorza. “We know trash volumes increase this time of year and so does the risk of contamination. By partnering with local businesses to address the needs of residents, we are actively engaging the community in a solution that works for everyone.”
The Overflow Trash Bag Program is one of several strategic initiatives the City has taken to reduce recycling contamination. As of November 2018, Providence’s weekly curbside recycling rate stood at 18%. The City has also reduced its contaminated monthly residential recycling loads by 50% since 2015 and is on track to meet its goal of zero contaminated recycling loads and a 30% residential recycling rate by 2030. This data is tracked and reported publically via the City’s SustainPVD Dashboard online at SustainPVD.org.
Local businesses are encouraged to participate in the official Providence Overflow Trash Bag Program, offering the high-quality bags for retail sale at $10 for a sleeve of five bags. Participation in the program requires that businesses sell the official Overflow Trash Bags selected by the City, at the set unit cost, and with the addition of RI sales tax to the sale of the bags. Retailers can place orders by calling 1-800-866-3954 or by emailing customerservice@wastezero.com.
Outreach will continue after the launch of the program to include more local participating businesses, those currently enrolled in the program and selling bags in Providence include:
- Broadway Express, 306 Broadway, 401-421-9340
- Pleasant True Value Hardware, 249 Academy Ave, 401-351-7200
- Eastside Marketplace, 165 Pitman Street, 401-831-7771
- Cumberland Farms, 1297 Broad Street, 401-461-6349
- Cumberland Farms, 751 Hope Street, 401-521-3630
- Stop & Shop, 850 Manton Avenue, 401-453-3899
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Cumberland Farms – 751 Hope St Providence, RI 02906
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Eastside Marketplace – 165 Pitman St Providence, RI 02906
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Shaw’s – 15 Smithfield Rd North Providence RI 02904
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Whole Foods Market – 602 N Main St Providence, RI 02904
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Whole Foods Market – 261 Waterman St Providence RI 02906* Residents are asked to please reach out retailers to check to ensure they have overflow bags in stock.
Nearby retailers also participating include:
- Shaw’s, 585 Taunton Avenue, East Providence, 401-434-0029
- Shaw’s, 15 Smithfield Road, North Providence, 401-353-2075
For an up-to-date list of business, residents can call the Mayor’s Center for City Services (MCCS) at 3-1-1.
The City continues to ask residents to under no circumstance place excess trash within recycling bins and to only place excess trash in the designated Overflow Trash Bags, which are specifically designed to prevent rodent intrusion. For helpful recycling tips visit the City’s website.