Newport Makes it Easy to Recycle Extra Holiday Waste

If all that holiday-related recycling won’t fit in your recycling bin, don’t panic. And Newport’s Public Services Department is asking Newporters: please don’t stuff it in the trash bin!

All that extra material doesn’t belong in the landfill. Thankfully, the Clean City Program has a plan.

It’s called The Maximum Holiday Recycling Program and it allows residents to easily recycle extra recyclables from the holidays.

You can use any barrel or reusable container up to 32-gallons, or a paper yard waste bag, to recycle additional items. Reusable barrels/containers or paper yard waste bags filled with recyclables should be placed next to your recycling cart and should be clearly marked “holiday recycling.” Residents are also encouraged to reuse items if possible before recycling.

Residents can put out extra recycling in a yard waste bag or reusable container for the first collection after Christmas for one week only. The special collection will take place on residents’ delayed trash day from Friday, Dec. 26 and Saturday, Dec. 27 (delayed Thursday and Friday collection days), and for Monday through Wednesday’s collection days from Dec. 29 through 31. Extra recyclables can also be brought to the Newport transfer station during normal business hours, anytime of year, with proof of residency such as a lease or utility bill.

Items accepted for recycling in your blue recycling cart, reusable container/barrel or paper yard waste bag:

• Paper & cardboard that is normally collected in the Recycle Together RI program such as gift wrap, gift boxes, gift bags, tissue paper and cardboard. Tape on gift paper in small quantities is ok, as it is removed in the recycling process. Flatten gift wrap if possible to help save space in your recycling cart and help the paper be efficiently recycled at the facility.
• “Blister packaging” – the often hard-to-open, firm plastic packaging that items such as small toys and consumer electronics come in. Sometimes you pull this packaging open, cut it open, or rip it from a cardboard backing. Any other plastic container under 5 gallons (for Newport residents only) and other items under the Recycle Together RI program are also accepted.
• Cardboard boxes can be flattened and placed in your blue recycling cart, reusable barrel or paper yard waste bag. For this week only, cardboard can be placed outside of your cart. It must be flattened, bundled and tied and not measure more than 3 feet in any direction. Normally, all cardboard must be placed inside your cart. Flattened residential cardboard, regardless of size, may be dropped off for recycling at the Clean City Program office at 80 Halsey Street, where we have a cardboard only dumpster.

Refer to your “Newport Clean. Newport Green.” brochure that was delivered with your carts for complete recycling guidelines, or visit www.cityofnewport.com/cleancity or www.RecycleTogetherRI.org.

DO NOT Recycle in your blue cart & what to do with it. If it specifies “throw away,” please bag it before placing in your black trash cart:

• Foil & plastic coated gift wrap, ribbons or bows: save for reuse or throw away.
• Christmas lights or any other cords or wires: recycle through www.holidayleds.com or throw away. Holidayleds.com allows lights to be mailed in for recycling for the cost of shipping and receive a coupon for 15% off the purchase of LED lights, which will save energy.
• Styrofoam and packing peanuts: reuse or give to a shipping outlet, or throw away.
• Plastic bags or film: clear or lightly colored plastic bags and films that stretch—including air-packs and bubble wrap can be brought to the Clean City Program office, or back to the grocery, pharmacy, or big-box store along with your plastic shopping bags. If bags are soiled, tie a knot it in and throw away.
• Food scraps: recycle by composting fruit & vegetable trimmings, coffee grounds and more. Call (401) 845-5613 to purchase a compost bin for just $20. If you don’t compost, throw away.

As a reminder, items that do not fit into your cart are considered bulky waste and require a sticker to be disposed of curbside. Stickers can be purchased in $15 increments at the Collections office in city hall, 43 Broadway. One you have purchased the correct amount of stickers for your item, call Waste Management at (401) 847-0230 for appointment. Bulky waste is picked up on a first and third Thursdays of each month including January 2 and January 15.

As a reminder, the Clean City Program accepts electronic waste for recycling during normal business hours listed above. These items include TVs, computers, monitors, printers, keyboards, mice and more.

Newport City Hall and RIRRC’s Central Landfill will be closed on Thursday, December 25 and Thursday, January 1. Both observed holidays will result in a one day delay in trash and recycling collections for the remainder of the week.

Christmas trees and yard waste will be collected curbside during the week of January 12 on residents’ regularly scheduled collection day. Please do not put the tree in a plastic bag, and remember to remove all ornaments, tinsel, garland and lights. This is the last yard waste collection until the week of March 16, 2015.

The “Newport Clean. Newport Green.” Brochure, which includes the 2015 calendar and complete details on the new cart-based collection system, is available to download at www.cityofnewport.com/cleancity or by calling the Clean City Program at 845-5613.