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Overflow Trash Bag Program

The Overflow Trash Bag Program is one of several strategic initiatives the City has taken to reduce recycling contamination. As part of this program, residents can purchase overflow trash bags to put excess trash in. These overflow bags can be left out on your regular trash pick-up day.

As of November 2018, Providence’s weekly curbside recycling rate stood at 18%. The City has also reduced its contaminated monthly residential recycling loads by 50% since 2015 and is on track to meet its goal of zero contaminated recycling loads and a 30% residential recycling rate by 2030. This data is tracked and reported publicly via the City’s SustainPVD Dashboard online at SustainPVD.org.

Local businesses are encouraged to participate in the official Providence Overflow Trash Bag Program, offering high-quality bags for retail sale at $10 for a sleeve of five bags. Participation in the program requires that businesses sell the official Overflow Trash Bags selected by the City, at the set unit cost, and with the addition of RI sales tax to the sale of the bags.

Please contact retailers to ensure there are bags in stock prior to going to purchase. For an up-to-date list of businesses, residents can call the Mayor’s Center for City Services (MCCS) at 3-1-1.
 

The City continues to ask residents to under no circumstances place excess trash within recycling bins and to only place excess trash in the designated Overflow Trash Bags, which are specifically designed to prevent rodent intrusion.

Retailers can place orders by calling 1-800-866-3954 or by emailing customerservice@wastezero.com.

Overflow Trash Bag Purchase Locations

Outreach will continue over the life of the program to include more local participating businesses, those currently enrolled in the program and selling bags in Providence include:

Broadway Express
306 Broadway
Providence

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Mt. Pleasant Hardware
249 Academy Ave
Providence

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Stop & Shop
850 Manton Ave
Providence

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Shaws Market
15 Smithfield Rd
North Providence

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Shaws Market
585 Taunton Ave
East Providence

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Whole Foods Market
601 North Main St
Providence

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Providence DPW
700 Allens Ave
Providence

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