Joint Efforts, Funding Pools Bolster Recycling Program

Earlier this year, about $7.4 million in grants from public and private entities allowed the city of Providence, Rhode Island, to jump-start its program to divert waste from landfills and into systems that create new materials with recycled content.

Closed Loop Partners, the American Beverage Association, The Recycling Partnership, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling (SWIFR) Grant Program were among the groups contributing to the effort, according to a news release. 

Ron Gonen, founder and CEO of Closed Loop Partners, said that strategic capital and collaboration across the value chain are critical to building a resilient circular economy in cities nationwide.

“The joint funding made possible by this partnership, and bolstered by commitments from the federal government, is a key step toward catalyzing more capital to circular solutions and laying the groundwork for waste-free cities,” Gonen said.

Keefe Harrison, founder and CEO of The Recycling Partnership, agreed, saying that strong partnerships are essential to building recycling systems that work for communities.

“This effort goes beyond delivering carts,” Harrison said. “It brings funding, tools, education, and hands-on implementation together to turn infrastructure into real progress.”

Improving recycling rates

Providence officials said that about 55,000 recycling carts will be delivered to residents early this summer. 

The recycling education campaign includes direct mail, neighborhood outreach, and clear on-cart guidance to help residents understand what belongs in the recycling carts and why it matters.

The city has had a 47% rate for rejecting recyclable materials because the materials had been contaminated. That rate has meant that more than 8,000 tons of materials intended for recycling were being rejected annually and sent to landfills instead of being made into new products, the news release said. 

“This investment reflects our commitment to working hand-in-hand with communities to support good policy and programs that increase the collection of valuable recyclables, including our industry’s aluminum cans and plastic bottles,” said Peg Sweeney, executive director of the Rhode Island Beverage Association. “Then we can ensure they are remade as intended and don’t end up in waterways and green spaces or wasted in landfills.”

The investments are also expected to improve Providence’s recycling rate, currently the lowest in Rhode Island, to 2.4%. “Since the start of my Administration, we have focused on making Providence cleaner, greener, and more efficient,” Mayor Brett Smiley said in a statement. “That’s why we are investing in new trash and recycling carts, along with education and enforcement strategies to change behavior and get the city’s recycling program back on track.”