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Sunday, August 19, 2012

New technology gives RI recycling a boost

By TIM FAULKNER/ecoRI.org News staff
JOHNSTON — The state’s new single-bin recycling program is exceeding expectations. Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation (RIRRC) recently reported that the volume of recyclable materials increased 7.5 percent in July from a year ago.

Sarah Kite, RIRRC's director of recycling services, said the phone calls she fields from residents and businesses leads to her to believe that single-stream recycling is taking hold in Rhode Island. “The awareness of recycling is much higher,” she said.



Under the new program, paper, plastic and glass is combined in a single collection bin, barrel or Dumpster. Additional plastic items, such as plastic yogurt containers and coffee cups are recyclable.
The new $16.9 million sorting device, within RIRRC’s materials recycling facility, went online in June. At full capacity, the machine is expected to process an additional 70,000 tons of recycling a year.
The statewide advertising campaign for “Recycle Together RI” paused in August, but will resume in September as schools look to learn more about the new program.
Kite said that communities, such as Burrillville, that have replaced the standard blue and green bins with new, larger curbside ones are inclined to collect more recycled items from residents. Providence plans to switch to larger bins in the near future.
Here are a few lesser-known recycling tips and facts:
Don’t flatten aluminum cans and plastic bottles. The new sorting machine considers flat items to be paper, therefore flattened bottles and cans often end up in the landfill.
Beer bottle caps are too small for the recycling sorter to detect, and end up with the trash. To solve the problem, place metal caps and lids in a metal can up to a third full. Bend the top of the can closed and put the can in the recycling bin.
Plastic containers more than 2 gallons should be cut in half or quarters before tossing them in the recycling bin. Don't cut them smaller than the size of a bottle, and make sure the pieces aren't flat. This allows containers larger than the 2-gallon limit to get recycled.
CD cases can't be recycled. DVD cases can be recycled.
Dunkin' Donuts lids should stay on or inside the cup before recycling. Screw-on lids for plastic bottles and plastic jars should also be lightly replaced on their containers before recycling. Lids can't be recycled unless they are on their containers because they are too small to make it through the RIRRC's recycling machine. They literally fall through the cracks.
Cling wrap is trash. Bubble wrap can be recycled with plastic bags at retailers, not at the curb.
Aluminum cans are ideal to recycle as they are one of the few items that can be re-made into the original product. Recycling cans also requires 95 percent less energy than it takes to make new cans.