Automated Recycling Coming Soon to E.P.

Automated recycling is coming to East Providence soon.

You’ll be wheeling a 95-gallon blue bin to the curb instead of the blue buckets you use right now for recyclables. 

An MTG Disposal truck will drive by, hoist the bins to the top of the truck with a mechanial arm that will extend from the passenger side, and then dump the recycled paper, plastic and glass into the truck. 

Your bin will be returned to the same spot it was picked up by the mechanical arm.

Recyclables also will be picked up every two weeks with the new program – not weekly anymore -- because the new bins can hold so much more. Nothing will change for your normal weekly trash pickup.

Steve Mutter of MTG, the former recycling coordinator in East Providence, explained the new automated recycling program to the City Council Tuesday evening, July 16. MTG got the contract for automated recycling.

“A blue bin will be delivered to your house in a few weeks,” Mutter said. “The new recycling program will start around Sept. 9.”

Each bin will be marked with a bar code to identify the home it belongs to, he said.

“Don’t steal your neighbors if your bin disappears,” Mutter said. “We will know exactly who it belongs to.”

All taxpayers will enjoy about $1.6 million in savings over the next five years with automated recycling, said City Manager Peter Graczykowski.  In the first year, he said, about $288,000 will be saved.

“Four new vehicles are waiting in Seekonk (MTG’s headquarters) to start the program,” Mutter said. “The drivers are being trained.”

Much of the savings is coming from having only one worker on each truck from now on, he said. That will significantly reduce payroll and workers compensation and other personnel costs.

You will learn more about automated recycling over the next few weeks. Look for a flyer in your August water bill.

What do you do with your old blue recycling bucket? Return it to the city or use it to carry your load of recyclables to the new container.

"Many people use the smaller bin inside," Mutter said. "But it's up to you."