Rhode Island restarts Let’s Recycle RIght! campaign

The Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corp. (RIRRC) rebooted its “Let’s Recycle RIght!” public education campaign. RIRRC and Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo met at the Newport Hospital, Newport, Rhode Island, to relaunch the recycling education campaign.

With the U.S. recycling industry facing challenges and Rhode Island’s Task Force to Tackle Plastics issuing recommendations, Gov. Raimondo is asking all Rhode Islanders to join her in recycling plastics right to keep the state’s program strong and its waters clean, RIRRC reports in a news release. To combat some of these challenges, Rhode Island has made improvements to the state’s material recovery facility (MRF) and launched an award-winning campaign to reduce public confusion about recycling.

“We have some of the most beautiful waterways in the country,” Raimondo says. “Let’s keep them clean by recycling right. With the new labels on our recycling bins, it’s now easier than ever. I applaud Rhode Island Resource Recovery for blazing a trail with this initiative.”

Rhode Island is the first state in the U.S. to adopt a bin labeling solution from Recycle Across America, which is a national nonprofit dedicated to standardizing recycling education in the United States. To date, more than 80,000 labels are in place across the state.

As part of the Let’s Recycle RIght! campaign, Raimondo will be featured in radio public service announcements running from May 1 to Sept. 26. She joins many other Rhode Islanders including Lt. Gov. Dan McKee, Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea, American Idol Finalist Erica van Pelt, RI Foundation CEO Neil Steinberg, Dancer Shura Baryshnikov, Ed Tarbox of Tarbox Toyota, Rhody the Ram of URI and others who will take part in the campaign.

Health services company Lifespan, Providence, Rhode Island, also aims to help promote this campaign, RIRRC reports.

“Lifespan aims to be a leader in Rhode Island when it comes to recycling and that’s why we have enthusiastically embraced the Let’s Recycle RIght! campaign. We’re pleased that Rhode Island Resource Recovery recognizes the many initiatives we’ve launched to reduce plastic and other waste in our shared Rhode Island environment,” says Timothy Babineau, president and CEO of Lifespan. “By embracing mixed recycling and training volunteer ambassadors, we are now recycling at rates above 30 percent at two hospitals and 25 percent at two others. But we’re not stopping there. We now have our sights set on moving toward a beyond the bin program to recycle ‘blue wrap’ used during sterilization of surgical instruments, which makes up close to 20 percent of operating room waste. And we will continue wherever possible to enhance and expand our waste reduction efforts throughout the Lifespan system.”

“Resource Recovery is thrilled to have the governor and Lifespan join our growing community of Rhode Islanders who are committed not only to recycling, but to recycling right,” says Joseph Reposa, executive director at RIRRC. “Our combined efforts can increase the quality of Rhode Island’s recycling and help keep it marketable during volatile times. Spreading the word about the importance of proper recycling is key to our program’s success.” 

According to a news release from RIRRC, the Let’s Recycle RIght! campaign will feature radio ads, bilingual banner ads and social media posts via RIRRC’s Facebook and Instagram pages.