Council approves annual solid‑waste agreement; asks town staff for rejected‑load evidence and moves forward with compost pilot

Richmond’s Town Council approved the annual solid‑waste and recycling contract with Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation and discussed procedure updates and a small municipal composting pilot.

Councilors reviewed the contract language that says the corporation will notify the municipality electronically of any rejected loads “within 24 hours” and impose equipment or reloading charges if a municipality delivers contaminated or unacceptable material. Council members and staff said they do not always receive prompt rejection notices and asked town staff to press the contractor for consistent photographic or electronic evidence when loads are rejected so the town can verify charges.

Separately, councilors and staff discussed leaf‑and‑yard‑debris handling and a pilot municipal composting arrangement. Staff reported they had confirmed that composting can be performed without a separate state permit for a municipal pilot and that the town will secure two dumpsters for yard‑debris collection and coordinate collection windows. The pilot is intended to provide residents a place to drop leaves, brush and small limbs (3 inches or less) for composting and is expected to be advertised so residents know the permitted materials and schedule.

The contract approval motion authorized the town administrator and town solicitor to sign the agreement with Resource Recovery. Councilors asked staff to collect evidence of rejected loads (photographs and electronic notifications) and to return with an implementation plan for the composting pilot and the proposed public education about acceptable recycling materials.