JOHNSTON TO HOST ECO-DEPOT AND
E-WASTE COLLECTION
Dispose of all hazardous waste materials quickly and easily

JOHNSTON, R.I. (June 18, 2010) – The Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation (RIRRC) is hosting a household hazardous waste (HHW) and e-waste collection on July 10. The collection will be held at the Central Landfill, 65 Shun Pike, in Johnston from 8:00 a.m. until noon.

Eco-Depot is a valuable HHW collection program that is free for all Rhode Island residents. RIRRC collects frequent collections at locations around R.I. for unwanted, unused and leftover HHW. HHW cannot be combined with regular trash or recyclables.
“This event is essential to keeping the state of Rhode Island clean and healthy for all who reside here,” said Mike OConnell, executive director of RIRRC. “We ask that all residents make an appointment to dispose of the household hazardous waste in order to make the process quicker and easier.”
RIRRC will accept a wide variety of hazardous materials such as fluorescent light bulbs, oil-based paints, insecticides, and propane gas tanks.

Appointments are necessary for all Eco-Depot drop-offs but are not required residents who are just dropping off e-waste materials. Examples of e-waste include televisions, CPUs, laptops, fax machines and scanners.

For a complete list of eligible materials or to make a household hazardous waste appointment go to www.rirrc.org, or call 942-1430 x241.

Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation is the quasi-state environmental agency dedicated to providing the public with environmentally sound programs and facilities to manage waste. The agency helps fund and promote the state’s recycling program, and owns and operates the Materials Recycling Facility and Central Landfill in Johnston.

SOUTH KINGSTOWN TO HOST RIRRC

ECO-DEPOT COLLECTION EVENT

JOHNSTON, R.I. (June 4, 2010) – Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation, together with the Town of South Kingstown, will host a special household hazardous waste collection on Saturday, June 26 from 8:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. at Town Hall on High Street.

This is a free service for Rhode Island households.  To reduce time spent waiting in the drop-off line, appointments for Eco-Depot are mandatory.

Eco-Depot offers Rhode Islanders the opportunity to dispose small amounts of HHW safely and properly.  Common examples of HHW are fluorescent light bulbs, gasoline, used motor oil, paint thinner, turpentine, propane gas tanks, weed killers, fertilizers, and pesticides.  Because these items contain chemicals that are harmful to humans, animals and the environment, special care is required to dispose of them safely.

“The South Kingstown Eco-Depot collection is always one of the most popular collections, and Rhode Island Resource Recovery would like to commend South County residents for their continued patronage of the program,” said Sarah Kite, director of recycling services, RIRRC. “We appreciate their efforts to keep the community and precious waterways free of pollutants.”

To make an appointment go to www.rirrc.org.  A complete list of HHW can be found on the site as well.

Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation is the quasi-state environmental agency dedicated to providing the public with environmentally sound programs and facilities to manage waste. The agency helps fund and promote the state’s recycling program, and owns and operates the Materials Recycling Facility and Central Landfill in Johnston.

DONATE UNWANTED BOOKS VIA
RHODE ISLAND RESOURCE RECOVERY

JOHNSTON, R.I. (June 2, 2010) – With summer officially here, it might be time to make room on your shelves for a new book to read at the beach or for your children’s school vacation reading list. Drop off all your unwanted books at the Central Landfill in Johnston, and they will be donated to Reading Tree.
Reading Tree is a non-profit organization working to solve the issue of excess books in our nation’s landfills as well as the global issue of a lack of books in areas that desperately need them.
“While books are recyclable in Rhode Island, it’s better to find someone who might enjoy the book when you are finished with it,” said Sarah Kite, director of recycling services at RIRRC. “Rather than rip off the hard covers on bound books so you can recycle the pages, drop off all your hard cover books and your paperbacks, too, at the Central Landfill during regular hours.”
R.I. Resource Recovery recommends throwing away books that were damaged in the recent flooding. They are no longer usable and may actually cause harm if they become encrusted with mold.
Reading Tree accepts all types of books – children’s, adult, hard cover and paperback. Children’s books will be donated to schools, family literacy programs and international libraries. More than 1.6 million books were donated to such programs in 2008. Some books may be sold to help pay for Reading Tree’s programs.

“This program is a wonderful opportunity to give to people in need, and you will get a sense of satisfaction by clearing out all your unwanted books that have been taking up space in your home,” said Kite.
The Central Landfill is open Mondays through Fridays from 6:00 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. and on Saturdays from 6:00 a.m. to noon. For information about recycling, visit the Rhode Island Resource Recovery website at www.rirrc.org, or call 942-1430 x775.
Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation is the quasi-state environmental agency dedicated to providing the public with environmentally sound programs and facilities to manage waste. The agency helps fund and promote the state’s recycling program, and owns and operates the Materials Recycling Facility and Central Landfill in Johnston.

RIRRC TO HOST TWO ECO-DEPOT COLLECTIONS ON 6/19

Choose one to drop off household hazardous waste or unwanted electronics

JOHNSTON, R.I. (June 1, 2010) – Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation will hold two special-wastes collections on June 19:  One at the Central Landfill in Johnston from  8:00 a.m. until noon, and one at Lincoln Town Hall from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.  Both are free for R.I. residents.

“It’s a busy season as many Rhode Islanders engage in home improvement projects, step up their gardening activities, or clean out their homes,” said Mike OConnell, executive director of RIRRC.  “We see a surge in requests to use our Eco-Depot and e-waste collection services, so we have collections nearly every weekend in spring.  We try to make the service accessible, quick and convenient and ask everyone to avail themselves of this outstanding program.”

In Johnston, RIRRC will collect both electronic waste and household hazardous waste (HHW).  At the Lincoln collection, only HHW will be accepted.   Appointments are required at both HHW locations to reduce time waiting in line.

Acceptable e-waste includes televisions, computers, printers, keyboards, laptops, cell phones, hard drives, scanners, modems, and mouse devices.

Products such as fluorescent light bulbs, oil-based paints, motor oil, fertilizers, and propane gas tanks cannot be placed among regular trash destined for the landfill.  Nearly all households have some amounts of hazardous waste stored in sheds, garages, and basements.  These products typically have warning labels marked “flammable,” “combustible,” “explosive,” or “corrosive.”  When discarded improperly, they are as harmful to the environment as they are to humans and animals.

For a comprehensive list of HHW, visit www.rirrc.org.  There, you can book your appointment.  For questions or concerns, call 942-1430 x241.  Appointments are not necessary for recycling e-waste.  For waste collection information specific to the Town of Lincoln, call 333-8422.

Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation is the quasi-state environmental agency dedicated to providing the public with environmentally sound programs and facilities to manage waste. The agency helps fund and promote the state’s recycling program, and owns and operates the Materials Recycling Facility and Central Landfill in Johnston.

COME TO RESOURCE RECOVERY’S ECO-DEPOT & COMPUTER RECYCLING COLLECTION ON 6/12

Safety Disposal of Special Items at Central Landfill

JOHNSTON, R.I. (May 21, 2010) – Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation will hold a computer recycling and Eco-Depot collection on Saturday, June 12 from 8:00 a.m. until 12 noon at the Central Landfill, 65 Shun Pike in Johnston.

Appointments are required for Eco-Depot but not for electronic waste drop-offs.   Both collections are free for Rhode Islanders and limited to household waste.

Electronic waste is banned from landfill disposal and therefore cannot be placed in the trash.  Unwanted and broken personal computer equipment and cell phones can be recycled for free at this collection.  Resource Recovery accepts all types e-waste such as televisions, computers, printers, keyboards, laptops, cell phones, hard drives, scanners, modems, and mouse devices.   Please do not place these items in curbside recycling bins.

Eco-Depot is the name of RIRRC’s household hazardous waste (HHW)  program.  Through this service, people can dispose products such as fluorescent light bulbs, oil-based paints,  insecticides, and propane gas tanks.  HHW poses a risk to human health when discarded improperly and RIRRC reminds people to not dump HHW in storm drains, sewers, catch basins, cesspools, or directly on the earth.  It travels in groundwater through Rhode Island’s waterways and ultimately end up in Narragansett Bay and the Atlantic Ocean.

HHW products typically have warning labels marked “flammable,” “combustible,” “explosive,” or “corrosive.”  For a complete list of eligible materials, go to rirrc.org.

Sign up for Eco-Depot appointments online at www.rirrc.org or call 942-1430 x241.

Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation is the quasi-state environmental agency dedicated to providing the public with environmentally sound programs and facilities to manage waste. The agency helps fund and promote the state’s recycling program, and owns and operates the Materials Recycling Facility and Central Landfill in Johnston.

SPECIAL RECYCLING COLLECTION FOR

E-WASTE & HHW IN NARRAGANSETT ON MAY 15

RIRRC offers free service

JOHNSTON, R.I. (April 26, 2010) – On Saturday, May 15, Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation, together with the Town of Narragansett, will hold a special collection for wastes that cannot be collected curbside or taken to the transfer stations.  From 8:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. Rhode Islanders can drop off their computers, televisions, and assorted household hazardous waste (HHW) at Narragansett Town Beach in the South Pavilion parking lot.

This program is a free service for all Rhode Island residents, and anyone dropping off hazardous waste will need to make an appointment.

Resource Recovery will accept all sorts of e-waste including any broken and antiquated computer products such as CPUs, monitors, printers, keyboards, laptops, hard drives, scanners, modems, and mouse devices.  The corporation recycles the material safely and properly.

Eco-Depot is the popular household hazardous waste program run by RIRRC.  Nearly all households have some amount of HHW stored in sheds, garages, and basements.  Any product that is flammable, combustible, explosive, toxic, corrosive, poisonous and hazardous to health qualifies as HHW.  Examples of common HHW include oil-based paint, fluorescent light bulbs, lawn chemicals, pesticides, antifreeze, pool chemicals, turpentine, muriatic acid, propane gas tanks and fire extinguishers.  They are banned from landfill disposal because they can pollute the environment if discarded improperly.

For a complete list of eligible materials, go to www.rirrc.org.  On the Web site, you can book an Eco-Depot appointment or call 942-1430 x241.  Appointments are not necessary for recycling e-waste.

All Rhode Islanders in need of flood disaster assistance should register with FEMA at www.fema.gov or 1-800-621-3362 (TTY 1-800-462-7585).

Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation is the quasi-state environmental agency dedicated to providing the public with environmentally sound programs and facilities to manage waste. The agency helps fund and promote the state’s recycling program, and owns and operates the Materials Recycling Facility and Central Landfill in Johnston.

COME TO RESOURCE RECOVERY’S ECO-DEPOT & COMPUTER RECYCLING COLLECTION ON 5/8

Appointment needed for household hazardous waste drop-off

JOHNSTON, R.I. (April 16, 2010) – Need to get rid of household goods that cannot be tossed in the trash?  Bring them to the Central Landfill on Saturday, May 8 from 8:00 to noon.  Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation will accept household hazardous waste (HHW), computers, televisions and assorted electronic waste for free.  However, only Rhode Island waste is accepted.

What is HHW?  Any product that is flammable, combustible, explosive, toxic, corrosive, poisonous and hazardous to health qualifies as HHW.   RIRRC accepts a wide variety of HHW such as oil-based paints, propane gas tanks, fluorescent light bulbs, turpentine, driveway sealers, and unused lawn and garden fertilizers.  Because the products are harmful to humans, animals, and the environment, they cannot be placed in regular trash and special care must be taken with their disposal.

Likewise, most electronic waste – computers, televisions, scanners, mouse devices – cannot be placed in the trash or recycled through R.I.’s curbside program.

For a complete list of eligible HHW, go to www.rirrc.org.  On the Web site, you can book an Eco-Depot appointment or call 942-1430 x241.  Appointments are not necessary for recycling e-waste.

All Rhode Islanders in need of flood disaster assistance should register with FEMA at www.fema.gov or 1-800-621-3362 (TTY 1-800-462-7585).

Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation is the quasi-state environmental agency dedicated to providing the public with environmentally sound programs and facilities to manage waste. The agency helps fund and promote the state’s recycling program, and owns and operates the Materials Recycling Facility and Central Landfill in Johnston.

Providence, RI — Dozens of Earth Day cleanups and celebrations throughout the state, as well as Arbor Day events, are listed in What Grows On in Rhode Island, a central clearinghouse for all sorts of environmental events in Rhode Island. The events are arranged in a calendar format with multiple views, and most listings include maps. Events can be sorted by category, event type, and town or city, making it easy for residents to find activities that most interest them.

Organizations listing special Earth Day and Arbor Day events include the Audubon Society of Rhode Island, Save the Bay, RI Tree Council, Barrington Conservation Commission, Blackstone Valley Tourism Council, Burrillville Lions Club, City of Central Falls, City of Newport, Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council, Ten Mile River Watershed Council, Friends of India Point Park, Friends of the Blackstone, Narragansett Bay Commission, Newport County Saltwater Fishing Club, Friends of the Moshassuck, Friends of Ballard Park, Friends of the Pawtuxet River, Buckeye Brook Coalition, Clean Ocean Access, West Broadway Neighborhood Association, Johnston Historical Society, Waterfire Providence, West Greenwich Land Trust, the Kent County Jaycees, Richmond Conservation Commission, Concerned Citizens of Davisville, Save Bristol Harbor, Roger Williams Park Zoo, Serve Rhode Island, Smithfield Conservation Commission, Tiverton Garden Club, and the Apeiron Institute for Sustainable Living, among others.

The Calendar also lists films and concerts organized by several groups in honor of Earth Day. Film showings include “A Sense of Wonder” in North Kingstown on April 17, “Home” in Newport on April 22, “Fresh” in Providence on April 22 and 27, and Where Do the Children Play?” in Barrington on April 28. Missa Gaia by Paul Winter will be performed in New Bedford, MA, on Friday, April 23.

“It’s impossible to track all these events without the help of computers,” said Susan Korté, managing editor of both The Providential Gardener and What Grows On in Rhode Island. “Hundreds of groups in Rhode Island care for Narragansett Bay, the beaches, watersheds, rivers, wetlands, parks, forests, and nature preserves. We don’t have time to look at all the individual websites, so we miss hearing about events we’d really like to go to. What Grows On in Rhode Island brings all this activity together and makes it easy for Rhode Islanders to participate in Earth Day events through its searchable online Calendar.”

Event listings link back to the organizing groups, making the website a useful research tool for finding local environmental information. “The Calendar is also a record of environmental work in the state. Rhode Islanders will be amazed to see the full range of their environmental efforts,” Susan Korté said. “What Grows On in Rhode Island helps each of us to see the big picture and find our place to pitch in.”

See www.whatgrowsonri.com for the state’s most comprehensive listing of Earth Day events.

It’s not too late to add any other Earth Day events. Any organization in or near Rhode Island holding public environment-related events may add listings to the Calendar free of charge athttp://www.whatgrowsonri.com/add_event.html.

The Providential Gardener also reminds volunteers to take precautions and follow the guidance of the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management when cleaning up areas that have experienced flooding. There is still concern about contamination.

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What Grows On in Rhode Island is an environmental information services project of the Providential Gardener. The Calendar has been growing organically since March 2008 and includes the full range of environment-related activity in and near Rhode Island. Parts or all of the Calendar can be republished to other websites including newspapers and businesses that want to promote “green” activities, so that all Rhode Islanders can easily find out what’s “growing on.” Contact the Providential Gardener for details of free and fee-based options. All public RI environment-related events may be listed free of charge.www.whatgrowsonri.com.

The Providential Gardener, located in Providence, RI, began as a blog in May 2006. It is both an environmental information services business and a way of seeing Rhode Island as one whole garden we all tend. The Providential Gardener is developing several information products and services that aggregate and make easily accessible the full range of environmental information for all Rhode Islanders.www.providentialgardener.com

ECO-DEPOT TO MAKE SPECIAL VISIT TO WESTERLY

Household Hazardous Waste Drop-off Collection Added in Wake of Flood

JOHNSTON, R.I. (April 14, 2010) – On Saturday, May 1, the Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation will hold an Eco-Depot collection for household hazardous waste.   The drive-up-and-drop-off collection will be held from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Westerly Transfer Station on Larry Hirsch Drive.  RIRRC added this collection to its schedule recently to deal with the abundance of hazardous waste created when flood waters entered homes and sheds.

The collection is free and open to Rhode Island residents only.

Any product that is flammable, combustible, explosive, toxic, corrosive, poisonous and hazardous to health qualifies as HHW.   Examples of common HHW include oil-based paint, fluorescent light bulbs, lawn chemicals, pesticides, antifreeze, pool chemicals, turpentine, muriatic acid, propane gas tanks and fire extinguishers.  These items are banned from landfill disposal because they can pollute the environment when discarded improperly.  RIRRC’s Eco-Depot disposes of household hazardous wastes properly and safely.

Appointments are required and will help reduce the time you spend in the drop-off line.

For a complete list of eligible HHW, go to www.rirrc.org.  On the Web site, you can book an Eco-Depot appointment or call 942-1430 x241.

All Rhode Islanders in need of flood disaster assistance should register with FEMA at www.fema.gov or 1-800-621-3362 (TTY 1-800-462-7585).

Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation is the quasi-state environmental agency dedicated to providing the public with environmentally sound programs and facilities to manage waste. The agency helps fund and promote the state’s recycling program, and owns and operates the Materials Recycling Facility and Central Landfill in Johnston.