Letter: Mandatory Event Recycling Ordinance Needs Council, Community Support

To the editor:

The Newport Energy & Environment Commission would like to thank our City Council for their favorable consideration of the proposed municipal ordinance, which will establish a mandatory event recycling policy and protocol for Newport. The goal of this program will be to require parallel services (providing waste removal and recycling collection bins side by side) at all special event-licensed and city-sponsored events.

We are asking City Council and our community to support this ordinance, as it represents a journey that was started with surveys and test cases that proved that the concept of special event recycling is valued by the Newport community, embraced by event organizers, and City Staff. Spearheaded by Commission Member Lauren Carson, together the NEEC and the Clean City Coordinator, Kristin Littlefield, have put countless hours into developing this “best practices” policy by researching other cities’ and states’ similar policies. We have also volunteered at numerous events in Newport that recycled in order to design the best operational program to propose one for our City that we believe can work. This will set Newport apart from the rest and further demonstrate our commitment to sustainability, quality of life, and exceptional tourism services.

With the voluntary support and efforts of the Commission, a partial list of our special event partners that have recycled and/or composted include: Bike Newport, RI Surfriders Foundation, Clean Ocean Access, Newport St. Patrick’s Day Parade, Champlain Place Block Party, Atlantic Cup, Newport Folk and Jazz Festivals, Festa Italiana, New England Sustainable School Summit, RI Environmental Educations Association, newportFILM events, and the America’s Cup World Series. To note: at the Newport Folk Festival alone, 5 tons of materials was recycled and diverted from landfills.

With the new recycling containers being provided to each resident this fall, attention will be on Newport’s commitment to the success of our recycling programs and saving taxpayers avoidable landfill costs. Approving this ordinance show the Council stands united by taking advantage of the recycling opportunities in all sectors.

By approving this ordinance, Newport will be joining the hundreds of other US destination cities in their commitment to keeping their community an attractive place to visit. By approving this ordinance, you will be enforcing state law, which requires parallel services at all special event-licensed and city-sponsored events. Business recycling is already mandatory in Rhode Island.

Newport has so much to offer visitors, with both the natural and historic built environment. As Newport is promoted as a destination, we have visitor traffic that overwhelms our streets, our parking, and our landfill.

Thank you to all of the organizations who have supported us thus far and we would like further support on this effort, from our Council and from our community.

Signed, The Newport Energy & Environment Commission