Since 1993, Brunswick has had a proud tradition of recycling. It was the responsible thing to do environmentally and for many years it was also a money maker. That was until China stopped buying recycled materials in 2017 due to unacceptable levels of contamination. However, prices for many recycled materials are bouncing back so it will not be long until they turn a profit again.
Brunswick is at a crossroads. Our landfill is closing and, on April 5, the Town Council will choose a waste hauler and processor for our solid waste. There are two main choices: Pay Casella to haul all of it to Orono for waste-to-energy and/or landfill; or pay a hauler to take our waste to ecomaine’s facility in Portland where recyclables get recycled and the rest is turned into waste-to-energy.
Using Casella would jettison our long-standing recycling program and result in trucks driving 120 miles north. This is irresponsible environmentally and fiscally. Between the long-distance hauling and known methane emissions from landfills, Brunswick would needlessly contribute to climate change. And, since Casella has not made a commitment to how the waste would be disposed of, the town would be vulnerable to price hikes if costs changed.
Meanwhile, ecomaine has proven it’s a committed ally in helping communities manage their waste responsibly and economically. Managed by a nonprofit consortium of towns, they work actively with communities to promote recycling and reduce contamination. They reward towns with profits from the sale of recyclables. Their waste-to-energy facility is state of the art with stack emissions that are monitored to ensure they do not exceed state and federal requirements.
However, ecomaine only has capacity for one more town. So this is it — now or never — for Brunswick.
Brunswick’s Recycling and Sustainability committee should be commended for its hard work in researching our waste options. They have unanimously recommended ecomaine and have forecast significant savings over what the town has paid in the past.
Brunswick has a proud tradition of recycling. Let’s let the Council know that ecomaine is the right choice for both environmental and economic reasons.
Marcia Harrington & Punnie Edgerton,
Brunswick
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