City Teams With Waste Management, Offers Commercial Recycling to Newport Businesses

For several years many residents and small business owners have been contacting Kristin Littlefield, Clean City Coordinator for Newport, inquiring about a solution to commercial recycling. Up until now, there hasn’t been a program in place and many Newport businesses have been throwing cardboard, beer and liquor bottles, and plastics, into the trash.

After several years of research, the Clean City Program announced last week that it has partnered with Waste Management to offer commercial recycling for small businesses. With the landfill quickly filling in Johnston, not only is this a positive move for Newport, but it’s also beneficial to the State of Rhode Island as well.

Newport’s current recycling rate is at 23 percent, and has been mandated by the state to increase the recycling rate to 35% by 2012 to comply with the law. Back in January, the Newport City Council asked Littlefield to compile her years of research so a potential commercial recycling program can be considered. In March, Littlefield presented her findings to the council. The resolution can be found on the City Council docket from March 16, 2011.

According to Littlefield, some small business owners have hesitated recycling in the past because they assume that it will cost them more money. She said what businesses should know is that the new commercial recycling program may actually save them money, since waste will now be separated, which will decrease the weight of trash and in turn decrease the cost of disposal.

“This is a win-win for the City of Newport and Newport businesses,” Littlefield said. “Newport will increase its recycling rate by collecting additional recycling materials and businesses may have a chance to save money on their monthly trash collection costs. By increasing Newport’s recycling rate, this means that the City has potential to increase revenue sharing, which goes directly back into the recycling program to expand it.”

Littlefield said that a mailing went to 1,300 businesses in Newport this week. She said she hopes to target small restaurants, coffee shops, hair salons, small offices, retail stores and any other small businesses that currently don’t recycle. Once a business signs on for commercial recycling, the program can begin in as little as two weeks.

To make it easier for owners, Waste Management will pick-up commercial recycling on the same days as residential recycling and routes will be the same in order to maximize the routes and results.

“We want to offer a simple, affordable recycling solution for businesses,” Littlefield said. “By recycling, they will be displacing material from their trash and recycling it, and may be able to negotiate fewer pickups and/or a smaller dumpster and fewer trash containers.”

The commercial recycling program will begin in Newport on July 5. For more information, including types of programs and fees, visit: http://www.cityofnewport.com/commercialrecycling. If your business is interested in recycling, contact Kristin Littlefield at 845-5642. Applications can also be downloaded at: http://www.cityofnewport.com/departments/public-services/cleancity/commercial_recycling_form.cfm.