Providence, RI Trash & Recycling: Yard Waste Collection (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- City Code § 12-89
- Max branch size accepted
- 4 inches diameter
- Plastic bags
- Prohibited for yard debris
- Enforcing agency
- Dept. of Public Works
- Set-out location
- Curbside, separate from trash
Summary
Providence requires leaf and yard debris to be set out curbside in approved containers, separate from trash and recycling, with plastic bags banned.
Leaf/yard debris shall consist of leaves, grass, weeds, vegetable and flower garden herbaceous debris and remnants, plant trimmings, small brush and hedge clippings, chipped or shredded tree or shrubbery branches and other small landscape trimmings and cuttings. Acceptable yard/leaf debris shall be placed in municipally approved recyclable, reusable or disposable biodegradable containers for collection. Every person shall place yard debris at curbside. Acceptable leaf/yard debris shall not be placed for disposal in plastic bags of any nature.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 7).
Full Breakdown
City Code § 12-89 defines leaf/yard debris as leaves, grass, weeds, garden trimmings, hedge clippings, and small chipped branches, but excludes limbs over 4 inches thick and stumps. Residents must set it curbside in municipally approved recyclable, reusable, or biodegradable containers, never plastic bags, and keep it separate from other trash and recyclables. Sweeping or blowing debris into streets, sidewalks, drains, or gutters is banned. The Department of Public Works enforces the program and can issue rules to carry it out.
Violations & Fines
Violations of § 12-89 are punishable per § 12-61.2's penalty provisions; the Code's general littering-chapter penalty range (§ 12-80) runs $1 to $5,000, with fines doubling after 14 days unpaid and tripling after 28 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I put yard waste in a plastic bag in Providence?
Will Providence collect large tree limbs as yard waste?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Providence
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Yard Waste Collection in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle yard waste collection.