Going green proves profitable for towns (Maine)

[jpak]

http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=191018&ac=PHnws

A surge in household recycling in the past year is saving some greater Portland communities tens of thousands of dollars, and is expected to generate a record $950,000 annual surplus from recycling for ecomaine, the region's waste disposal cooperative.

A regional sorting machine that simplified the chore for households and haulers, along with expanded services and promotional efforts in some communities, has boosted residential recycling volumes 17 percent in the past 10 months, according to ecomaine.

The success of recycling is so great that, combined with what may be the effects of a slowing economy, the agency is now looking for additional long-term sources of non-recyclable trash to maintain a steady fuel supply for its waste-to-energy plant in Portland.

"We've seen a definite movement of material" from the incinerator to the recycling center, said Kevin Roche, general manager of ecomaine. "It is significant."

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[barbtries]

1. i want to see like a million of these stories

get green going mainstream. thanks for posting, and good on this town

[gateley]

2. Profit is key (unfortunately) --

like so many auto makers are hustling to come up with plug-in hybrids now.

Excellent -- thanks for posting!

[fight4my3sons]

3. thanks for posting!

We love single stream recycling :) Makes it very easy for my young kids to help out too. The recycling containers at our transfer station and at the town hall are almost always full! Everyone is definitely recycling in our area (Phippsburg).