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Waste Management
& Recycling Program
Home > Programs > Waste Management & Recycling

Waste Management and Recycling Program Logo

NEW!! Attention Municipalities: 2011 Annual Solid Waste Management Report for Municipalities and DEP licensed Transfer Stations and Landfills (PDF 387KB) (Word 419KB), Cover Letter (PDF 108KB), Instructions (PDF 186KB)

2010 Solid Waste Generation and Disposal Capacity Report (published Jan. 2012) (PDF 181KB) Report with Information and data on the types and quantities of municipal solid waste generated in Maine in 2010 and the management of those wastes.

2011 Annual Report of the Solid Waste Management Advisory Council (PDF 84KB)

Check out the Northeast Recycling Council's (NERC) "Waste Reduction, Recycling & Composting in Schools" website.

 

Plastics Recycling Primer - (PDF 1.2 MB) a helpful look at the various plastics and plastic products found in our waste stream with a focus on: identifying the various resin types; the need for resin separation; guidance on processing and marketing of collected plastics; and, other issues of interest.

Waste Management and Recycling Program

The Maine State Planning Office is directed by the Legislature to develop state policies that promote a balance between economic growth and natural resource conservation. To fulfill that charge within the scope of its mission, the Waste Management and Recycling Program continues to ensure sufficient land disposal capacity within our borders to meet the needs of today’s waste management system and the economy that depends upon it.  At the same time, we encourage the development of waste-to-resource systems that reduce waste destined for disposal, with the dual aims of alleviating our impacts on Maine’s health and environment and enhancing Maine’s economy and quality of place.

The state has made significant progress in reducing, reusing, and recycling its municipal solid waste.

  • The state’s recycling rate for 2010 was 38.7 %.
  • Public recycling services have expanded to serve over 98% of our population.
  • Businesses have adopted and implemented recycling programs that support the state’s objectives.
  • Toxics in the solid waste stream have been reduced by banning them from disposal. These include: mercury-added products, cell phones, and cathode ray tubes (CRTs) found in computer monitors and televisions, and requiring the recycling of hazardous consumer products known as ‘universal wastes’.
  • In 2010, two hundred and thirty eight (238) municipalities offered collection programs to divert and safely manage household hazardous waste (HHW). Additionally, two permanent seasonal HHW collection facilities have been established to better serve the on-going household hazardous waste management needs of Maine’s residents.

Nearly 100% of the state’s unlicensed, unlined, substandard landfills have been capped and closed, significantly reducing their impacts on Maine’s environment.

Recycling Workshop Materials

Safe Options for Disposal of Unused and Expired Medicine

Permanent drop off locations have been set up across the State. Please see Kennebec Journal article from April 11th.

Safe Medicine Disposal for ME Program
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Compact Fluorescent Recycling Program

CFL Program Logo

Efficiency Maine, a program through the Efficiency Maine Trust, is a statewide effort to promote more efficient use of electricity and improve Maine's environment. They encourage retailers to participate in recycling of CFL blubs. Please visit this Efficiency Maine website for a list of retailers where you can bring your used (unbroken) CFLs for safe recycling. Note: CFL bulbs must be recycled and cannot be disposed of in the trash because they contain small amounts of mercury.