As New Bins Roll In, City Plans Drop Off Events for Old Trash Cans and Recycling Bins

With the start of the city’s new automated trash and recycling system set to begin the week of Nov. 3, Newporters will find themselves with extra trash and recycling bins on their hands.

Since no trash or recycling will be removed from any bin other than the new city-issued carts that have been rolling out in advance of the switchover, your old bins will become worthless -- unless you plan to use one for storage or yard waste. Understanding this, the city has planned two events in November to give residents a chance to dispose of unwanted bins and barrels.

The “Bye-Bye Bins & Barrels” recycling events will be held on Nov. 1 and 22 from 8 a.m. until noon at Easton’s Beach in the east parking lot.

Under the new program, Waste Management will remove yard waste in any unmarked bin, so residents are encouraged to save one. Bins don’t have to be labeled “yard waste” going forward.

The city is also offering discounted rates for compost bins, which can help reduce the amount of trash a household produces in a big way. A large portion of the average family’s garbage consists of food scraps.

The bins retail for $100 and the city is now offering them for $20 -- more than half off the regular $45 price. Call 845-5613 if you’re interested in pre-ordering a bin to pick up at one of the Bye-Bye Bins & Barrels events.

More details about the city’s new trash program can be found here: cityofnewport.com/cleancity

The contract is estimated to cost the city $1.7 million per year in year one, not including the $958,000 for the carts in the first year.
According to figures released by the city earlier this year, the total cost for the contract over the five year term would be about $6.7 million.
Advocates for cart-based collection tout the bins’ effectiveness at keeping rodents at bay thanks to attached lids that simultaneously prevent litter caused by wind and scavengers.

Underlying any new initiative is a desire on the part of city officials to boost recycling rates. Cities and towns across Rhode Island are trying to meet the 35 percent recycling rate goal set by the state. The idea is to not only increase recycling rates and reduce the amount of trash that ends up in the Central Landfill in Johnston, but also to save money. The higher the city’s recycling rate, the lower the tipping fee, or rate that a community pays to dispose of trash.

Last year, the city had a recycling rate of 23.5 percent – the highest it ever seen, but that’s far from the 35 percent goal – and well below the 25- to 29 percent it must meet to start getting incentive discounts on the tipping rate.