The Central Landfill, run by Rhode Island Resource Recovery (RIRRC) on Shun Pike in Johnston, takes loads from residents as well as haulers. It's open weekdays 6 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. and Saturdays 6 a.m. to noon.
Trash costs $115 a ton with a $65 minimum. Small loads, recycling and mattresses go through the East Entrance at 3 Shun Pike; the first three mattresses a day are free, and Johnston residents with a town permit can drop up to a ton of trash free.
Disposal sites in Johnston
Central Landfill (Rhode Island Resource Recovery)
Landfill
Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation (RIRRC)
Johnston residents with a town permit: up to a ton free
Up to 3 mattresses a day free; car tires $8
Accepts: Trash and construction debris by weight; at the East Entrance, the Small Vehicle Transfer Station and Residential Recycling Area for cars and pickups.
Use the West Entrance (65 Shun Pike) for the landfill and the East Entrance (3 Shun Pike) for small loads, recycling and mattresses. Cards and cash accepted.
Mattresses or box springs for recycling, up to 3 a day
Free
Each mattress after 3, or non-recyclable
$70
Appliance without Freon / with Freon
Free / $12
Car tire / tractor-trailer tire
$8 / $15
Car battery
$6
TVs and computers from residents
Free (e-waste area)
Leaves and yard debris
$40 a ton, $30 minimum
Concrete, asphalt, brick, rock
$20 a ton, $20 minimum
Scrap metal, textiles, books, motor oil, antifreeze
Free
Weight only
$5
From RIRRC's fee schedule for fiscal 2027; the version effective November 1, 2026 adds a $3-a-ton fuel surcharge on commercial loads only. RIRRC takes Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover and cash. Questions: the scalehouse at (401) 228-3102.
The campus is off Route 295 at Exit 7 (old Exit 5); Resource Recovery's name is on the exit sign. Follow Shun Pike about a mile and the signs to your entrance: the West Entrance (65 Shun Pike) for the landfill and the recycling plant, the East Entrance (3 Shun Pike) for the small-vehicle transfer station, residential recycling and mattresses. The landfill is closed on holidays; RIRRC posts a holiday schedule each year. RIRRC expects the Central Landfill to reach its permitted capacity in 2046.
Rhode Island law keeps car batteries out of the trash: they have to go back to a dealer, a licensed recycler or Resource Recovery. TVs, computers, monitors, laptops, tablets and mercury products are banned from landfill disposal in the state. Tires and appliances aren't banned outright, but Resource Recovery recycles them, and town transfer stations charge for them.
Find a disposal site near you
Enter your city or ZIP for the nearest sites across Rhode Island, then call ahead — hours and access rules vary a lot here.
How much does it cost to dump at the Johnston landfill?
$115 a ton with a $65 minimum at the Central Landfill. Johnston residents with a town-issued permit can bring up to a ton free.
What are the Central Landfill hours?
Monday through Friday 6 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. and Saturday 6 a.m. to noon, closed on holidays.
Can I drop off a mattress at Resource Recovery?
Yes. Up to three mattresses or box springs a day are free for recycling at the East Entrance; more than three, or ones that can't be recycled, are $70 each.
Can I throw away a TV at the Johnston landfill?
No. TVs, computers and monitors are banned from landfill disposal in Rhode Island, but residents can drop them in Resource Recovery's e-waste area free.
