Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corp. (RIRRC), Johnston, Rhode Island, has announced a partnership with Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), Providence, designed to increase recycling levels and decrease confusion at the recycling bin. Through the collaboration, RISD will feature Rhode Island's Recycle Across America (RAA) labels on recycling bins campuswide. RISD is the latest institution to adopt the standardized label solution for recycling bins since Rhode Island became the first state in the nation to adopt them on Earth Day. The labels being used in Rhode Island mimic the look of RAA's standard mixed recycling labels but feature those items recyclable in the state's program. Resource Recovery hopes seeing a consistent recycling message repeatedly will make it easier for RISD students, employees and visitors to recycle correctly.

"We're thrilled to see our world-class design school use the standardized labels and join the movement to reduce confusion at recycling bins in Rhode Island," says Krystal Noiseux, RIRRC education and outreach manager. "RISD is clearly committed to a strong recycling program that conserves natural resources and provides high quality raw materials to manufacturers."

More than 1 million RAA standardized labels are displayed on bins throughout the nation. They have been proven to increase recycling levels from 50 percent to 100 percent, RAA says, while also significantly reducing contamination with trash?a challenge Rhode Island has been facing in recent years.

RISD's campus isn't the only place in Rhode Island using RAA labels. In April, RIRRC began distributing 36,000 free labels to Rhode Island public schools. To date, more than 18,000 labels have been distributed to slightly more than 200 public schools. RIRRC hopes to see labels affixed on all Rhode Island school bins by the end of the year.

"At RISD our new trash and recycle bins simply read: "Trash" and "Recycle." Transitioning from multiple separate containers (for trash, paper, bottles and cans) into single-stream recycling can be a bit confusing for users at times," says Alan Cantara, RISD environmental, health and safety manager. "The RAA labels will help our community to identify what exactly can be put into single-stream recycling and what should be put into the trash container. We have affixed about half of the 200 smaller stickers we are putting on the bins so far and will also be adding larger stickers on the walls above the containers in certain areas, such as dorms."

With institutions like RISD leading the way, RIRRC says it expects to see more private entities adopt Rhode Island's standardized label solution this fall, as well as more public institutions, including schools, state agencies and municipal buildings. RIRRC is offering, 5.5-inch-by-8-inch standardized labels to any Rhode Island group?public or private?at no cost, if they participate in the state's recycling program.  

More information about Rhode Island's RRA labels is available from Noiseux at knoiseux@rirrc.org. 

» Publication Date: 04/10/2016

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