Pawtucket is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island. The Public Works Department is responsible for trash collection in Pawtucket city. They provide trash services on a weekly and monthly basis. As responsible citizens, it is also the residents’ responsibility to cooperate with the Pawtucket government to ensure cleanliness in the city. Residents simply need to follow certain rules and regulations provided by the Public Works Department to keep the city environment clean and healthy.
Find Your Trash and Recycling Collection Day
If you’re not aware of your Pawtucket Trash Schedule and want to know your collection day, click the link below. You will access a 2024 trash services calendar. From this calendar, identify your garbage and recycling collection day. Make sure to place your trash according to the given rules at the curbside on your designated day.
https://pawtucketri.gov/2024-trash-and-recycling-calendar/
Garbage Collection
Pawtucket Residents are not allowed to place trash loosely at the curbside; they must pack their trash into plastic bags. Then, place all these bags into the issued trash cart. Additionally, check your trash collection day and put your cart at the curbside no earlier than 4 PM the day before your trash collection. Place your cart on or at the edge of the street.
Do not place frozen containers or containers with hot ashes at the curbside because these types of containers will not be serviced. Place your container in a visible location. When placing your cart at the curbside, leave a distance of 3 feet on both sides so that the automatic collection truck can easily pick up your cart.
Do not put automobile or motorcycle spare parts into the garbage cart. Similarly, do not mix your trash and recycling materials; these materials will be collected separately. Moreover, do not put any uncooked animal carcass or parts in the garbage cart, as these items are not acceptable as garbage.
Place only a closed-lid cart at the curbside. If your trash is overflowing, it will not be serviced, so do not overfill your trash carts. When your trash is collected, bring your cart inside as soon as possible. Follow proper instructions when placing your cart at the curbside; otherwise, it may lead to missed trash collection.
Recycling Collection
Your recycling trash carts will also be serviced on the same day as your normal garbage collection. To ensure your recycling collection, place your cart at the curbside on time by 7 AM on your scheduled collection day. Place your container in a clear, obstacle-free area so it can be easily collected by the automatic collection truck.
Acceptable recycling materials include aluminum cans, metal containers, plastic bottles, plastic jars, plastic containers, and glass bottles that are not broken, as well as paper and flattened cardboard. Do not put any plastic bags into the recycling cart.
Plastic bags cause problems during recycling processes as they slow down recycling and block recycling plants. Place only clean, empty, and dry items into recycling carts to reduce litter and spillage. Roll your cart back as soon as possible after collection.
Report Missed Collection
If you experience a missed trash collection and want to report it, call Public Works at 401-728-0500 to report your missed trash collections. Once you report a missed collection, they will schedule another route to pick up your trash on the next business day.
Bulk Items Collection
The Public Works Department facilitates the residents of Pawtucket with curbside bulk items collection. However, residents need to schedule bulk trash pickup by calling the Public Works Department at 401-728-0500. If you have bulk trash such as broken furniture, mattresses, and home appliances, first call the Public Works Department to schedule your bulk trash pickup. Then, place all your bulk trash at the curb on the assigned day.
As far as the charges for home appliances are concerned, it is $16.00 for items such as mattresses, refrigerators, freezers, and box springs. You are allowed to place only 3 bulk trash items at the curbside for a single collection. Place the pile of bulk trash in front of your property at the edge of the street. Do not add any contaminants or construction debris to the bulk pile; otherwise, it will not be collected.
Household Hazardous Waste Collections
Contact Eco Depot at 401-942-1430 to learn about nearby drop-off stations for disposing of your household hazardous materials. Household hazardous materials are those that residents cannot safely store at home. It is recommended to dispose of all these items at a nearby drop-off station.
Yard Waste Collections
Your yard trash carts will be serviced on the same day as your normal garbage collection. Therefore, it is necessary to place yard trash separately from residential garbage to ensure its collection. Place your yard trash at the curbside no earlier than 4 PM the day before your scheduled collection day.
Yard trash includes grass, tree branches, leaves, and plants. There are some rules and regulations you must follow when placing your yard trash at the curbside, such as cutting all branches to a length of 3 feet and a diameter of 3 inches. Tie all these cut branches into bundles and place these bundles at the curbside.
Additionally, put all leaves and small clippings into compostable bags to place them at the curb. Do not use plastic bags for yard trash, as plastic bags are not accepted. Place all your yard trash on the street in front of your property.
Holidays Collection Schedule
Normally, trash collection services run smoothly, but the city of Pawtucket observes certain annual holidays that may affect your normal trash collection day. If residents observe any of the following holidays, their normal trash collection will be delayed by one day. For example, if these holidays fall on a Monday, Monday’s trash will be collected on Tuesday. The delay in normal collection will continue throughout the week. It is recommended to follow the schedule below to place your cart at the curb if you observe these holidays on your normal trash collection day or the day after.
| Holidays | Date and Day | Change in Garbage and Recycling Collection Schedule |
|---|---|---|
| New Year’s Day | January 1, 2024, Monday | No trash collection on Monday. Your trash carts will be collected on January 2, 2024, Tuesday. |
| Martin Luther King Jr. Day | January 15, 2024, Monday | No trash collection on Monday. Your trash carts will be collected on January 16, 2024, Tuesday. |
| President’s Day | February 19, 2024, Monday | No trash collection on Monday. Your trash carts will be collected on February 20, 2024, Tuesday. |
| Memorial Day | May 27, 2024, Monday | No trash collection on Monday. Your trash carts will be collected on May 28, 2024, Tuesday. |
| Independence Day | July 4, 2024, Thursday | No trash collection on Thursday. Your trash carts will be collected on July 5, 2024, Friday. |
| Victory Day | August 12, 2024, Monday | No trash collection on Monday. Your trash carts will be collected on August 13, 2024, Tuesday. |
| Labor Day | September 2, 2024, Monday | No trash collection on Monday. Your trash carts will be collected on September 3, 2024, Tuesday. |
| Columbus Day | October 14, 2024, Monday | No trash collection on Monday. Your trash carts will be collected on October 15, 2024, Tuesday. |
| Veterans Day | November 11, 2024, Monday | No trash collection on Monday. Your trash carts will be collected on November 12, 2024, Tuesday. |
| Thanksgiving Day | November 28, 2024, Thursday | No trash collection on Thursday. Your trash carts will be collected on November 29, 2024, Friday. |
| Christmas Day | December 25, 2024, Wednesday | No trash collection on Wednesday. Your trash carts will be collected on December 26, 2024, Thursday. |
