Does the City of Providence get fined for each truck of recycling rejected at the landfill?

Providence pays a fee for each ton of contaminated material brought to the recycling facility.

The City of Providence is charged $20/ton for each load of rejected recycling at the Materials Recycling Facility in Johnston. After the material is labeled as solid waste, Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation charges Providence its typical landfill disposal fee of $63 per ton. If Providence surpasses its annual limit on disposal at the landfill of 55,842 tons, then the rate for each additional ton of solid waste increases to $115.

In 2024, a Special Commission for the Study of Providence’s Waste Management Services found contaminated recycling costs the city nearly $2 million dollars annually.

The Providence Eye previously reported the City of Providence was charged $250 for each rejected load, based on correspondence with landfill officials. To complete this Fact Brief, The Providence Eye confirmed the updated rates via email.