Rhode Island residents who want to shred sensitive personal (i.e.
CAN YOU RECYCLE SHREDDED PAPER FREE
To provide residents with more opportunities to properly recycle intact sensitive documents, Resource Recovery is replacing their annual shredding event with four free Community Shred Days. “For the safety of our workers, longevity of our equipment and quality of our recycling, our messaging going forward is clear and simple: No shredded paper, and no plastic bags, bags of plastic bags, or recycling inside of plastic bags, ever.” “The two biggest contaminates in our MRF, by far, are shredded paper and plastic bags,” says Krystal Noiseux, Education and Outreach Manager for Resource Recovery. In addition, the elimination of paper shreds should also significantly reduce the volume of plastic bags in the recycling. Keeping shreds out of the mixed recycling will greatly improve the quality of the 450 tons of recyclables that Resource Recovery’s Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) processes each day. When bags break, the loose shreds cover the other recyclables which lowers their value. Even when properly prepared, overly compacted recycling trucks can cause bags to break open. While many properly prepared bags have been successfully processed, the overwhelming majority of shreds are not properly prepared. Unfortunately, the method of double-bagging shredded paper has not been sufficiently effective. When Resource Recovery launched single-stream recycling in 2012, shredded paper remained an acceptable material in the mixed recycling program.
In a competitive marketplace which demands higher quality raw materials for manufacturing new products, preserving the integrity of Rhode Island’s recyclables is a top priority. In addition to the drop-off container, Rhode Island residents can attend shredding events, compost shreds in backyard compost bins, or dispose of them in the regular trash. While shredded paper is being discontinued curbside, Resource Recovery will continue to accept shredded paper, secured in a bag, at their self-serve Small Vehicle Area (SVA) located at 65 Shun Pike in Johnston. Krystal Noiseux, Education and Outreach Manager, 40 x 109, Hypolite, Communications Coordinator, 40 x255, RI-To combat rising levels of contamination, Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation (Resource Recovery) today announced shredded paper will no longer be accepted in Rhode Island’s mixed recycling program.