Trash still piling up in Providence

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) - The City of Providence is refusing to back down from a new recycling program which has resulted in piles of garbage literally lining the streets of many neighborhoods.

City officials also reject the argument that residents were not properly informed about the new policy, which requires everyone to put out a recycling bin with their rubbish bin, or else their trash won't be collected.

"We spent a month educating all of our residents," says Alix Ogden, the Director of Operations for Providence. "We even went out over the summer to community meetings."

The new program has been in effect for three weeks. Because many people have not been placing their recycling bins outside, there are large piles of rubbish lining many sidewalks. Others say they have followed the rules, but still haven't had their trash collected.

On Thursday, angry members of the City Council stopped short of a resolution calling for the program to be suspended.

"I think change is hard," Ogden said during an interview Friday. "There are always bumps in the road when you have a process this big."

During Thursday night's meeting, City Councilors called on the city to clean up the mess before next week's Thanksgiving holiday. However, the city won't back down.

"We're going to pick up (the trash) for the people who comply with our recycling program," Ogden insists "We've talked to other cities and towns who have done it. They've gone through the same process."