City of Woonsocket opens first Swap Shed in R.I.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 25,2017

 

Contact: Blake Collins, bcollins@woonsocketri.org, office: (401) 762-6400 ex: 2963, cell: (508) 838-3371

 

 

Woonsocket, RI: Mayor Lisa Baldelli-Hunt announced today the opening of the first community Swap Shed in Rhode Island, located at the City of Woonsocket’s Recycling Facility at 943 River Street. The new initiative will be overseen by the Department of Solid Waste and represents the City’s commitment to reduce municipal waste disposal fees and promote its community-wide recycling program. Students from the Woonsocket Area Career and Technical Center constructed the shed and were on hand for the opening site visit held Wednesday at 10:30 am.

 

“The City of Woonsocket has worked hard to promote a culture of recycling in our community,” said Mayor Lisa Baldelli-Hunt. “Our Swap Shed will facilitate the reuse of household goods while reducing waste and promoting recycling. The students and administration at the Woonsocket Area Career and Technical Center deserve a sincere thank you for their fine craftsmanship that residents of Woonsocket will benefit from. Our Department of Solid Waste has done a great job in overseeing this project and the City’s overall recycling efforts.”

 

Cities and towns in Rhode Island are incentivized to increase local recycling through rebates provided by Resource Recovery. The goal of the community Swap Shed is to introduce a low cost option that will expand the public’s awareness of the City’s recycling efforts and to offer an added resource within the community. 

 

“Woonsocket is leading the way with this innovative municipal program,” said Krystal Noiseux, Resource Recovery’s Education and Outreach Manager. “One man’s trash is surely another man’s treasure, and the Swap Shed is a fantastic way to keep valuable materials out of the landfill, and circulating in our economy, longer.”

 

Students from the Woonsocket Area Career and Technical Center constructed the Swap Shed under the instruction of Charlie Myers Jr. Members of the senior class were on hand to admire their finished product and receive thanks from the Mayor on behalf of the City.

 

“I am thrilled at the introduction of a community Swap Shed, which will contribute to the efforts made by the Department of Solid Waste throughout the year to foster a culture of recycling in the City,” said Public Works Superintendent Michael Debroisse. “Recycling reduces the costs of waste disposal, is great for the environment, and reduces the burden upon the Central Landfill. Our new Swap Shed will be a great resource for the community.”

 

The Woonsocket Swap Shed will be open Monday through Friday from 7:00 am to 3:15 pm and on Saturdays from 8:00 am to 11:45 am. Typically, items such as small household objects, plastic goods, and tools are popular items exchanged at swap sheds. The Swap Shed will be monitored by an attendant and available to Woonsocket residents.

 

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