Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corp. to distribute recycling labels

Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corp. (RIRRC), Johnston, Rhode Island, has entered a licensing agreement with Recycle Across America (RAA) that enables RIRRC, a quasi-public agency, to offer free standardized labels to private businesses and institutions—including private schools—that participate in the state’s recycling program. The agreement is related to RIRRC’s adoption of RAA’s standardized label for recycling bins, making 36,000 free labels available to all of RI’s public schools. As part of the same agreement, every state agency and municipality also became eligible for free labels. However, this is the first time RAA has permitted a public entity to be the direct provider of its labels to the private sector.

“We are incredibly proud to partner with RIRRC,” says Mitch Hedlund, executive director and founder of RAA. “They really understand the fact that if the public is confused at the recycling bin, the entire system of recycling and the ability to reuse the materials in manufacturing is negatively impacted. I’m in awe of their determination to fix the issue in a pragmatic and macro way for the greater good of their communities, for the environment and for the overall economics and efficacy of recycling and closed loop manufacturing.”

She continues, “When people have the ability to easily recycle right, wherever they are, recycling will finally begin to thrive and live up to its phenomenal environmental and economic potential. Leaders such as RIRRC and other early adopters, such as the National Parks, Whole Foods Markets, Disney and Bank of America, are creating the tipping point with this critical solution. We couldn’t be more grateful for RIRRC’s leadership as a state—they clearly live up to their reputation of being Tiny but Mighty.”

Expanding the offer of free standardized labels beyond public schools to businesses and institutions supplements RIRRC’s long-standing programs to help anyone start or improve recycling through free waste assessments and educational assistance, the organization says.  

“RI Resource Recovery is excited to provide free standardized recycling bin labels to any group in RI—public or private—that wants them,” says Krystal Noiseux, RIRRC education and outreach manager. “This expanded availability brings us one step closer to the day when everyone in Rhode Island sees the same, basic, consistent message on recycling bins at home, at school, at the park, at the mall and at work.”

To date, 196 schools in 26 school districts have received nearly 16,000 free labels, with Westerly and West Greenwich being the first to complete label placement throughout all district schools, RIRRC reports. The organization says it has created an informational label placement guide to assist schools with the process and hopes to see labels affixed on school bins, from Woonsocket to Westerly, by then end of the year.

More than 1 million RAA standardized labels are displayed on bins throughout the nation. They have been proven to increase recycling levels by between 50 to 100 percent while significantly reducing contamination with trash—a challenge Rhode Island has been facing in recent years, RIRRC says. The RI labels mimic the look of RAA’s standard mixed recycling labels but feature those items recyclable in the state’s program.

On Earth Day, RAA revealed the standardized labels and celebrated Rhode Island as the first state to adopt them at a Hollywood launch of its national, star-studded “Let’s Recycle Right” PSA campaign. Celebrities who have already joined the campaign include Kristen Bell, Anthony Mackie, Angie Harmon, Gabrielle Reece and Alanis Morissette.