Politics & Government

Assembly OKs Out-Of-State Recycling

Trash from outside of Rhode Island will still be banned.

The General Assembly on July 1 passed legislation sponsored by Sen. Frank Lombardo III (D-Dist. 25) and Rep. Stephen Ucci (D-Dist. 42) which allows the Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation to accept out-of-state recycling.

The legislation now goes to Gov. Lincoln Chafee for his signature.

During a phone interview on July 1, Lombardo said he feels "a sense of accomplishment" for sponsoring the Senate version of the bill.

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"There was a lot of time put into this legislation," Lombardo explained. "In the end, it was all worth it."

Out-of-state trash is not accepted at the Central Landfill in Johnston and violations are a fineable offense under state law.

Find out what's happening in Johnstonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“Taking in recyclable materials, processing them, moving them out and making money on them is a win for everyone,” said Lombardo in a statement released by the General Assembly Press Bureau, “and the Materials Recycling Facility can accommodate more materials than it is currently processing.”

The bill proposes that profits from the sale of recycled commodities from out-of-state sources be split three ways, with 25 percent retained by the RIRRC, 25 percent paid to the town of Johnston and 50 percent shared by the remaining 38 cities and towns on a pro rated basis in accordance with the RIRRC distribution of in-state recyclable profits to municipalities.

“Based on conservative estimates, the town of Johnston stands to receive at least $500,000 from the processing and selling of recyclable out-of-state materials,” Ucci also said in the General Assembly Press Bureau statement. “Rhode Island’s other 38 cities and towns will also greatly benefit from this legislation and in these difficult times, every little bit counts.”

During the phone interview on July 1, Lombardo said that at Ucci's request, the bill also requires that money paid to Johnston will go toward fixing two town dams that have deteriorated over the years, as well as the town's stormwater drainage systems.

"I think that (the new revenue) is going to good use," Lombardo said.

 

Additional information for this article was furnished by the Rhode Island General Assembly Press Bureau.


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