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1. Do I really HAVE to recycle?

Yes. Rhode Island General Law mandates recycling by all towns and cities in Rhode Island. To comply with the law, Narragansett’s new ordinance mandates the separation of recyclable materials from solid waste by all residents of the town, including those in single family and all types of multi-unit dwellings and complexes.

By ordinance, all residents, whether they use the transfer station or a commercial hauler, must separate recyclable materials from trash and recycle them. Residential non-compliance may result in fines.

2. What items are recyclable?

For complete list of recyclable materials in Rhode Island visit:  What to put in your bin

3. Can I put plastic bags in my recycling bin?

Do not place plastic bags in your recycling bins, either empty or filled with other recyclables. Plastic bags can be recycled, but not in your bin. Please take empty plastic bags to any large grocery, pharmacy, or big-box store in RI and deposit them in the designated collection bin. You may also include dry cleaning bags, newspaper bags, bread/bagel bags, bubble wrap, over-wrap from cases of plastic beverages as well as cereal and cracker liner bags. For more information about plastic bag recycling see the below website or this document.

www.rirrc.org/restore

4. Do I have to separate my recyclable items?

Recyclable materials must be separated from household trash. Then all recyclable materials may be mixed together thanks to Rhode Island’s new single stream recycling program. Simply combine all recyclable items in your recycling bin or container for pick up by your commercial hauler or bring your items directly to the Rose Hill Transfer Station. For a complete list of all recyclable materials accepted in Rhode Island visit: www.recycletogetherri.org

5. Where do I get recycling bins?

22 gallon recycling bins are available at Town Hall by appointment only. 

$7 cash, exact change only.

6. How do I know if my hauler is licensed by the town?

All commercial haulers collecting solid waste and recycling in Narragansett must be licensed. Residents opting to have their trash and recycling picked up roadside must contract with a licensed hauler. If your hauler is not listed, please contact them directly.

Current Licensed Haulers

7. Where is the local transfer station?

Rose Hill Regional Transfer Station is located at 163 Rose Hill Road in South Kingstown one-half mile north of Saugatucket Road (783-4554). Narragansett and South Kingstown both require by ordinance that all residential users of the transfer station are required to recycle defined materials as a condition of use of the facilities. For more information on using the transfer station, including the hours of operations, fee schedule and accepted material visit the South Kingstown Solid Waste Division home page at: www.southkingstownri.com

8. How do I dispose of household hazardous waste – e.g. propane tanks, oil based paints, rechargable batteries, fluorescent light bulbs?

Anything labeled with words like “danger”, “flammable”, “combustible”, “toxic”, poison”, etc., cannot be recycled, nor should it be in the regular trash. These materials are dangerous when handled improperly and can put workers and the environment at serious risk. Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation runs a special, free program for collecting hazardous household waste from Rhode Island residents called The Eco-Depot. To find out more and make an appointment visit www.rirrc.org/ecodepot

9. How can I recycle a computer or TV?

Televisions, working or non-working computers, laptops, modems, printers, keyboards and mouse pointers are accepted at the Rose Hill Transfer Station, 163 Rose Hill Rd, Peace Dale.

The e-waste container will no longer be available at the DPW highway garage starting January 1, 2023.  Residents should be redirected to bring electronic waste to Rose Hill Transfer Station, 163 Rose Hill Road, Peace Dale RI, Monday through Saturday, 7am to 3pm, excluding holidays.

10. Why can’t I recycle cardboard boxes from 12-pack soda cans and other refrigerated and frozen food boxes – e.g. beer, butter, pizza, TV dinner, etc.?

If the box holding your fridge pack if soda or beer was just like any other thin cardboard, when the cans sweat (i.e. when water condensates on the outside), they would come crashing out through the bottom. To prevent this from happening to all of your boxes frozen and refrigerated cardboard packaging, it is either coated or treated with a chemical that prevents it from breaking down when wet. Regular cardboard breaks down when wet and that’s how recyclers at paper mills mush your cardboard back into pulp – they use water. For this reason, refrigerated and frozen food boxes are contaminants to the paper buyers and are not accepted for recycling.

11. Are pizza delivery boxes recyclable?

Mostly clean pizza boxes are now accepted for recycling. This includes boxes with a little bit of grease or food, but not completely soaked with either grease or food. If the bottom of the box is grease-soaked but the top of the box is clean, rip it off and place it in your recycling bin, throwing the greasy part in the trash.

12. Can I recycle Styrofoam?

STYROFOAM CANNOT BE PLACED IN YOUR CURBSIDE RECYCLING COLLECTION BIN. However, as of April 2015, RI residents may now recycle polystyrene (Styrofoam) in the Small Vehicle Area at the Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation (RIRRC) in Johnston. Foam must be clean, dry and bagged in clear or translucent bags. Food-service foam (like coffee cups, food trays and takeout boxes) must be bagged separately from all other foam. No spongy foam (think #1 Fan fingers) and no packing peanuts. www.recyclopedia.net

13. How can I recycle more on a daily basis?

The best thing you can do to recycle more is not to waste. It’s much better for the environment to reduce the amount of what you buy, reuse what you have, and finally to recycle. Check the RecycleTogetherRI website to ensure you’re including as many recyclable materials as possible in your recycling bin. Be sure to bring your plastic bags back to a retail store that accepts them. Use a refillable water bottle rather than those plastic bottles that waste energy and natural resources. Always think before you buy. Don’t buy products with excessive packaging.
To learn more visit: www.RecycleTogetherRI.org