NORTH PROVIDENCE - The town received a check for $69,355 from the Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation on Thursday, Aug. 21, for removing 18 percent of its recyclable items from the solid waste stream at the Central Landfill in Johnston.

The corporation distributed $2.3 million to 37 cities and towns at a reception attended by Gov. Donald L. Carcieri.

When the quasi-public agency's recycling facility earns profits, it has the right to distribute them to municipalities that have recycling contracts with RIRRC, the agency said in a press release. ¬ 

"I applaud the cities and towns for their improved efforts to recycle, helping to prolong the life of the state Central Landfill, while acting to preserve the environment," said Carcieri. "Today's check presentations demonstrate the financial advantages of making this important effort to recycle as much of our trash as possible."

Of the 37 Rhode Island municipalities represented, six received checks of $100,000 or more, the release said. Shares are based upon each municipality's recycled tonnage trucked to the RIRRC recycling facility in Johnston during fiscal year 2008. Recycling rates are the percentage of their waste processed at the Materials Recycling Facility in comparison to the amount of their waste sent to the Central Landfill for burial.

North Providence upped its recycling rate two percent over the previous year, the agency said.

"The recycling facility was built to provide services to Rhode Island municipalities who, alone, could not cost-effectively market recyclables," said Michael OConnell, RIRRC's executive director. "Working together, our state's recycling program is improving and today's revenue-sharing is proof of that."