Frequently Asked Questions (DPW)

HOW DO I DISPOSE OF TRICKY ITEMS LIKE E-WASTE, BATTERIES, HAZARDOUS WASTE, MATTRESSES, FURNITURE, APPLIANCES, YARD WASTE, CHRISTMAS TREES, SHREDDED PAPER, OR LARGE OR BULKY ITEMS THAT DON’T FIT IN MY CARTS? 

Bulky Waste

These items cannot be recycled or thrown away in either of your carts. Click here for a guide to getting rid of tricky items.

ONE OF MY CARTS IS Damaged or Missing. HOW DO I GET a Replacement?

Cart Replacement

Fill out a Cart Replacement form. A damaged cart will be repaired or replaced at no charge as long as the damage is due to normal wear and tear or is caused by the recycling truck. A missing cart will be replaced for $50.00, paid for by the property owner. A stolen cart will be replaced for free if you provide a police report documenting the incident. 

I have an old cart that needs to be removed from my property. Who do I call?

Dial 3-1-1 or submit a request on 3-1-1's website to have your old cart removed.

WHEN IS TRASH AND RECYCLING COLLECTED IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD?

Your trash and recycling are collected on the same day each week and your collection day depends on where you live in the city. Click here to find your collection day.

WHEN THERE IS A HOLIDAY, WHEN WILL MY TRASH AND RECYCLING GET PICKED UP?

If there is a weekday holiday, collection is delayed by one day for the remainder of the week. Click here for the holiday schedule.

MY TRASH OR RECYCLING CART DIDN’T GET PICKED UP! WHO DO I CALL?

Carts should be moved to the curb the night before collection or no later than 5:30 a.m. on collection day. Only city-issued gray trash carts and blue recycling carts will be collected. Trash or recyclables left outside of or next to your carts will not be collected. If your carts were set out properly and did not get picked up, call Waste Management at 800-972-4545 to schedule a next-day collection.

WHICH CART IS FOR RECYCLING AND WHICH CART IS FOR TRASH?

The blue cart is for recycling and the gray cart is for trash.  

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! Anything else for example, a paper towel, a metal pot, a drinking glass, or a plastic utensil is not recyclable, even though they’re made of similar materials. Recyclables should be empty and rinsed. For questions about a specific item, search Rhode Island Resource Recovery’s A-Z search tool.

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 plastic bags & plastic wrap, bags of trash, clothing, wires, hoses, 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!

I heard Providence has a low recycling rate. What are we doing to improve it?

This is an important question, because contaminated recycling has cost the City about $2 million in avoidable landfill fees in recent years. As such, the City is taking a multipronged approach to improving our recycling rate. In 2026, the City delivered new trash and recycling carts to all households in our curbside collection program. Now that residents have the right number of trash carts and larger trash carts than they used to have, we expect a reduction in overflow trash bags ending up in recycling carts - a big problem for the City's program.

The City has also invested in community education, partnering with Zero Waste Providence - a local nonprofit - to inspect recycling carts and leave cart-specific feedback for residents (i.e. Oops tags). We are also sending more consistent mail-based education materials and citing property owners for contaminated recycling carts. Together, these strategies are helping improve Providence's recycling rate, which preserves resources and saves taxpayers money.

DO I NEED TO FLATTEN CARDBOARD BOXES?

Yes. Cardboard should be flattened and should fit inside your blue recycling cart with the lid closed. Flattening boxes helps save room in the recycling truck and avoids trucks having to make extra trips into your neighborhood. It also ensures smooth processing of recyclables at the State’s recycling facility. 

What happens when NON-RECYCLABLE ITEMS ARE put in a recycling cart?

When too many non-recyclable items such as plastic bags, trash bags, clothing, wires, hoses, Styrofoam, food, and bagged recyclables are put in recycling carts, they contaminate the entire recycling truck, causing the load to be dumped in the landfill instead of recycled. Because Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation does not charge cities and towns to process recyclables, but does charge for trash disposal, sending contaminated recycling trucks to the landfill wastes taxpayer dollars. 

Disposing of non-recyclable items in your recycling cart can result in a fine of $50 or more to the property owner.

WHEN SHOULD I MOVE MY CARTS TO THE CURB AND WHERE SHOULD I STORE THEM BETWEEN COLLECTIONS?

Carts should be moved to the curb the night before collection or no later than 5:30 a.m. on collection day. Place carts on the street with wheels against the curb. Keep carts at least three feet from parked cars, mailboxes, and other obstacles that may prevent collection crews from picking them up. Lids should be fully closed. Carts should be stored behind or beside your home between collections. Do not leave them on the sidewalk or at the curb between collections.

What if I have more trash than I can fit in my trash cart?

Trash that does not fit in your trash cart can be put in a designated overflow trash bag, purchased from a participating store, and placed on the ground next to your trash cart. Never put excess trash bags in your recycling cart. Learn more about the Overflow Trash Bag Program and where you can purchase overflow bags.

IS THERE A WAY TO RECYCLE PLASTIC BAGS?

Yes! You can drop off plastic bags and other plastic for recycling at a variety of large stores in Rhode Island. Find a location near you to recycle plastic bags.

Never put plastic bags or plastic wrap in your recycling cart. 

MY STUFF IS IN PRETTY GOOD SHAPE? ARE THERE OPTIONS FOR DONATING THINGS LIKE CLOTHING, TOYS, AND OTHER HOUSEHOLD ITEMS?

Yes! Donate, exchange, or sell items at these locations.

Explore more options at RIRRC’s Swapping, Selling, and Buying Used page.  

ARE THERE OPTIONS FOR COMPOSTING IN PROVIDENCE?

Yes! Click here to learn about available options for curbside, drop-off, and backyard composting. 

What can I do about rats in the neighborhood and in my trash?

It is important to keep the lids down on trash cans to keep rodents out. Rodent sightings may be reported to the Department of Public Works at (401) 680-7500. Once a report has been made, the property owner must sign a consent form permitting the Department to bait for rats on their property. The Department will then start the baiting process. Click here for more info. 

I’VE GOT A DIFFERENT QUESTION. IS THERE SOMEONE I CAN CALL?

For all other questions, call the Department of Public Works at 401-680-7500.