Pawtucket City Council Pawtucket City Council Rejects Proposal for Metal Scrapyard

By Shawn M. March 12, 2026.

PAWTUCKET, R.I. — A proposal to open a metal scrapyard near the Pawtucket–Providence border has been rejected by the Pawtucket City Council following strong opposition from residents, business owners and city officials on both sides of the city line.

The project, proposed by Allied Recycling Inc., sought approval for a wholesale junk license that would allow the company to operate a metal recycling and scrapyard facility along Concord Street, near the Pawtucket–Providence border.

The proposal drew a large turnout at last night’s Pawtucket City Council meeting, where residents voiced concerns about increased truck traffic, noise, rats, environmental impacts and the effect the facility could have on nearby neighborhoods and businesses.

According to plans presented to the council, the facility would have generated approximately 25 additional truck trips per day, not including employee vehicles or customers bringing scrap materials to the site. With the possibility for the number of trucks to rise to more than 50 trucks per day!

Neighbors and local advocates argued the area already faces heavy industrial activity and that adding another industrial operation like the transfer station would place additional strain on the surrounding community.

Opposition also came from Providence officials, who submitted a letter urging Pawtucket leaders to deny the request. City leaders warned that residents in nearby Providence neighborhoods already deal with industrial operations and said another heavy industrial use could worsen conditions for families living nearby.

Residents speaking at the hearing raised concerns about potential impacts including noise, dust, odors and traffic congestion, particularly along already busy roadways in the Concord Street area.

After hearing hours of public testimony and reviewing the proposal, the Pawtucket City Council ultimately voted to deny the license, preventing the scrapyard from moving forward at the proposed location.

However, the issue may not be completely settled. Representatives for Allied Recycling threatened that the company could appeal the decision to the RI Supreme Court.

The proposal also revived memories of a similar plan that was rejected in 2017, when residents and nearby businesses raised many of the same concerns about industrial expansion in the area.

For now, the council’s vote represents a significant victory for neighborhood residents and advocates who rallied against the project, but the long-term future of the site remains uncertain if legal challenges move forward.

Entering Pawtucket will continue to follow this hot button issue and keep the community updated.