Rhode Island Weighs Options to Divert More Waste

Residents can comment on a draft plan to raise the state's 13% diversion rate before the November 16 deadline.

Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Organic Food

Gouache-painted editorial illustration of a tall, neat column of flattened paper and cardboard bales against a pale field, evoking the state's effort to divert waste from landfills. — Rhode Island's Department of Environmental Management is seeking public comment through November 16 on a draft plan to lift the state's 13% waste diversion rate. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Rhode Island's Department of Environmental Management released a draft needs assessment on how the state can divert more waste from landfills, with public comments open until November 16. The state's current diversion rate is 13%, and the draft lays out a range of options for improving it, though it stops short of recommending a single policy.

Why it matters

Rhode Island disposes of an estimated 673,869 tons of waste each year, and the state is missing out on about $35.5 million in gross lost commodity value, which is why the diversion question is now in front of lawmakers. The assessment follows a 2025 bottle-bill proposal that was reshaped into a study, reflecting competing pressure from environmental groups and the beverage industry.

The figures come from a state-commissioned draft needs assessment that uses data and estimates to model several diversion scenarios against a 13% current rate and a 50% diversion target. Its projections, including a 47% diversion rate for the EPR Plus plan and a 33% rate for a fully funded 2025-based option, are modeled estimates rather than observed results, and the final cost and funding picture remains unsettled.

The players

Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM)

The state agency responsible for environmental protection and waste management policy in Rhode Island, which released the draft needs assessment.

Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corp. (RIRRC)

The state entity that operates the Central Landfill and works with RIDEM on waste diversion planning.

American Beverage Association

The beverage industry trade group that led a coalition opposing the 2025 deposit bill, arguing it would add costs for small businesses and consumers.

The details

The draft assessment, prepared with data and estimates that could inform future bottle bills, extended producer responsibility programs, or other diversion plans, lays out five proposed options ranging in scope and detail. Paper and plastic packaging make up about 45% of the state's waste stream, and the Central Landfill, operated by RIRRC, has roughly 20 years of remaining capacity. The original 2025 proposal sought a 10-cent deposit on certain beverage containers before a last-minute overhaul replaced most bottle-bill and EPR language with a call for a needs assessment conducted with an independent third party.

2025: State lawmakers proposed a beverage container deposit bill.
November 4, 2026: The draft needs assessment was published.
November 16, 2026: The public comment period on the draft closes.
December 1, 2026: The final assessment is expected to go to state lawmakers.

Big Picture

The draft follows the 2025 10-cent beverage deposit bill, which was reshaped into a needs assessment after a last-minute overhaul removed most bottle-bill and EPR language. Rather than choosing a single mechanism, the study models options that range from a fully funded 2025-based approach to the broader EPR Plus plan.

Residents who eat packaged food and drink are the people most directly connected to the packaging waste stream this assessment addresses, so changes to deposit or recycling rules could alter how beverages and food containers are handled. Anyone who wants to weigh in can submit comments on the draft before the November 16 deadline.

The takeaway

Waste diversion is a public health and environmental question that affects what packaging ends up in landfills, and the final assessment will shape which options lawmakers consider. Readers interested in how packaging choices fit into their own habits can watch the December 1, 2026 handoff to lawmakers for the next concrete step.

What happens next

The public comment period on the draft needs assessment closes November 16, 2026, and the final assessment is expected to go to state lawmakers by December 1, 2026.