SANFORD — Starting Monday, residents who dispose of household trash at curbside or at the transfer station must use special orange trash bags sold specifically for that purpose.

“Pay as you throw,” which is already in place in some surrounding towns like Kennebunk, Wells and North Berwick, is making a return to Sanford after a three-year absence. Voters who cast ballots in the June 11 election decided on that method of disposal rather than an alternative, called More-In-Return, which would have required special bags, but offered users an annual rebate.

Bags, in sleeves that cost $10, are available at Hannaford Supermarket, 800 Main St.; Shaw’s Supermarket, 1364 Main St.; Save-A-Lot, 1247 Main St.; Walgreens, 868 Main St., Aubuchon Hardware, 761D Main St.; Shaw’s Hardware, 901 Main St.; Irving/Circle K, 1227 Main St.; High Street 88, at 88 High St. and at Roger’s Supa Dolla, 81 Cottage St.

Residents can choose between five 33-gallon bags in a sleeve; eight 15-gallon bags; or 10 8-gallon bags.

While folks will pay to dispose of household waste, recycled material ”“ glass, plastics, cans, paper and cardboard and more ”“ may be placed at curbside for recycling, free. Recycled materials do not require a special trash bag, and in fact should not be placed in one, say Public Works officials. Residents can deposit their recycled materials in their own bins, using red “recycling” stickers available free from the Public Works Department, at City Hall or the transfer station.

“Pay as you throw” is expected to increase recycling, as it did during the three months it was in effect prior to repeal in 2010. At that time, the recycling rate jumped 20 percent to more than 40 percent and in so doing, decrease the amount Sanford pays per ton for garbage disposal. As well, revenue from bag sales were intended to tamp down the tax rate. That prospect however, evaporated when the state legislature cut revenue sharing n the biennial budget earlier this year.

— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 (local call in Sanford) or 282-1535, ext. 327 or [email protected].