Trash & Recycling in Pawtucket, RI (2026)
9 verified trash & recycling rules for Pawtucket, Rhode Island, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Pickup Rules & Schedules
Pawtucket's curbside collection rules under City Code § 347-14 require trash in City-issued carts only, cardboard separated for recycling, and bulky items like furniture and appliances scheduled in advance with Public Works. E-waste, construction debris and hazardous liquids are banned from the curb entirely.
Pawtucket Curbside Pickup Rules
Some RestrictionsPawtucket City Code § 347-14
§ 347-14. Refuse collection rules. ...A. Loose garbage will not be collected. All garbage must be in the City trash cart to be collected... B. All refuse receptacles must be watertight. Receptacles must be free from jagged or sharp edges... C. Only City trash and recycling carts are acceptable containers for curbside collection... F. Cardboard must be separated from the trash and placed in a re...
Bin Placement Rules
Pawtucket requires garbage receptacles to be covered, rodentproof and screened from street view, and residential carts can't hit the curb before 4:00 p.m. the day before collection, under City Code §§ 347-2 and 347-14. Containers must come back off the curb within eight hours of pickup.
Pawtucket Trash Cart Placement Rules
Some RestrictionsPawtucket City Code §§ 347-2, 347-14(A)
§ 347-2. Garbage receptacles; location; removal of garbage from premises. ... A. The owner of any premises where swill or garbage shall accumulate shall provide a covered, rodentproof, insectproof, watertight receptacle on such premises... B. Such owner or occupant shall not locate such receptacle in any place which is not satisfactory to the Supervisor of the Environmental Control Division... ...
Bulk Item Disposal
Pawtucket residents cannot set bulky items like furniture, mattresses or box springs at the curb without first scheduling a pickup with the Department of Public Works. Furniture pickup is free for up to three pieces per appointment, but appliances such as refrigerators and air conditioners carry per-unit fees once you exceed the annual allowance tied to your building's number of units, under City Code § 347-14J and § 347-14.1.
Pawtucket Bulky Waste Pickup Rules
Some RestrictionsPawtucket City Code § 347-14J
Bulky waste. If refuse is of such size and nature (bulky waste) that it cannot fit into the city issued trash or recycling cart, it shall not be placed curbside without prior approval. Residents or property owners must contact the Department of Public Works to schedule an appointment for bulky waste collection. Items placed on the sidewalk or right-of-way without an appointment, or more than on...
Recycling Requirements
Pawtucket property owners must separate recyclable materials from trash and set them out for curbside collection under a mandatory program required by City Code § 347-36 and Rhode Island's recycling statutes. The city picks up mixed recyclables at least every other week, and skipping separation brings a warning, then escalating fines under § 347-48.
Pawtucket Mandatory Recycling Program Rules
Some RestrictionsPawtucket City Code §§ 347-34, 347-36
§ 347-34. ... A mandatory recycling program is hereby implemented in the City of Pawtucket pursuant to R.I.G.L. §§ 23-18.8, 23-18.9 and 23-19 and the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management Municipal Recycling Regulations, as amended. ... § 347-36. ... there is hereby established a program for the mandatory separation of certain recyclable materials from municipal solid waste by the...
Illegal Dumping
Dumping heavy debris anywhere in Pawtucket other than a state-licensed solid waste facility or a scheduled Department of Public Works pickup is banned under City Code § 263-20. Violators face a $500-per-day fine, liability for the city's cleanup costs, and up to 60 hours of court-ordered community service under § 263-29C.
Pawtucket Illegal Dumping Penalties
Heavy RestrictionsPawtucket City Code §§ 263-20, 263-29C(1)
§ 263-20. Heavy debris. ... No person shall dump, dispose or deposit heavy debris within the City except at a solid waste management facility licensed by the director of the department of environmental management of the state. ... Any person who disposes or whose vehicle, either owned or leased, is used to dispose of heavy debris other than at a solid waste management facility licensed by the d...
Yard Waste Collection
Pawtucket collects grass, leaves and small tree limbs on your regular trash day from April through December, separate from household garbage, under City Code § 347-14E. Limbs can't exceed three inches in diameter or three feet in length and must be bundled; loose wood and construction debris are never picked up curbside.
Pawtucket Yard Waste and Brush Collection Rules
Some RestrictionsPawtucket City Code § 347-14E
Yard waste will be collected on trash collection day. It must be separate from the regular trash. Yard waste consists of grass, tree limbs, leaves and plants. Tree limbs must be no larger than three inches in diameter and no longer than three feet in length, and must be tied in small bundles. Yard waste must be placed in composting bags or in barrels labeled "Yard Waste" only. No plastic bags w...
Dumpster Rules
Commercial dumpsters in Pawtucket must be covered, labeled with the hauler's contact information, and screened from street view, and can only be serviced between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. under City Code § 347-10. Servicing outside those hours draws a $250 fine per day, doubling to $500 for repeat violations.
Pawtucket Commercial Dumpster Rules
Some RestrictionsPawtucket City Code § 347-10
§ 347-10. Collection of refuse at commercial establishments and elsewhere; dumpsters; screening. A. ... Structures with seven or more dwelling units are defined as "commercial establishments" and are not eligible for municipal refuse collection services... B. All commercial trash and garbage containers (commonly known as "dumpsters"), whether at commercial establishments or otherwise, shall be ...
Collection Schedule
The City of Pawtucket collects household refuse weekly from residential structures with six or fewer units, public schools and municipal buildings under City Code §§ 347-9 and 347-11. The Director of Public Works sets districts, routes and collection days and must post schedule changes on the City website and social media, per § 347-12.
Pawtucket Trash Collection Schedule Rules
Some RestrictionsPawtucket City Code §§ 347-9, 347-11, 347-12
§ 347-9. Eligibility of household refuse collection by Department of Public Works. ... The following uses or structures shall be eligible for household refuse collection by the City of Pawtucket: A. Residential structures with six or less dwelling units. B. Public schools. C. Structures used for municipal offices or services. § 347-1 ... 1. Frequency of collection. ... Refuse shall be collected...
Recycling Rules
Pawtucket requires most homes to use the city's own recycling cart, with nothing left outside it, under City Code § 347-37. Once recyclables hit the curb they legally become city property, so anyone else who takes them, including scrappers and haulers, faces escalating fines up to $1,000 under § 347-39.
Pawtucket Recycling Cart and Scavenging Rules
Some RestrictionsPawtucket City Code §§ 347-37, 347-39
§ 347-37. ... A. Each eligible residential structure with six or less dwelling units is required to use the City recycling carts (which are available for purchase at the Department of Public Works or an authorized 3rd party for a fee). ... B. All recyclables must be placed in the City recycling cart; there is to be no recyclable material left outside the cart. ... § 347-39. ... A. Once municipa...