Maine-based recycling processing facility ecomaine recently provided data and feedback to recent media stories showing the importance of Maine’s recycling programs to landfill diversion, Maine communities, and residents who use their blue recycling bins each week.

“We sometimes see reports that proclaim the “death of recycling” or the ineffectiveness of recovery programs,” said ecomaine’s CEO Kevin Roche. “And while no program is perfect, we urge Mainers to have confidence that the paper and cardboard and plastic, metal, and glass containers ecomaine receives from its residents and sorts at our Recycling Facility are baled and recycled into new products.”

In its fiscal year 2022, ecomaine processed, prepared, and shipped 943 tons of plastic containers, and received $735,320 in return from brokers and end markets who purchased Mainers’ bottles, jugs, cups, and tubs to manufacture new and needed products.

Additionally, according to a March 2021 report by eunomia that studied state-by-state recycling rates for containers and packaging, Maine ranked as the top container recycling state in the nation with an overall rate of 72 percent.

“The fact that an average truckload of Maine’s plastic containers sells for tens of thousands of dollars to manufacturers that create all-new bottles and jugs, composite lumber, textiles, and much more, helps us know that these are valued commodities that are not landfilled or combusted,” Roche said.

Bill Shane, Cumberland’s town manager and ecomaine board chair, emphasized the point; “last year, ecomaine’s recycling program brought back more than $5 million in revenue for the organization and its member communities. Recycling these materials is not only the right thing to do from an environmental standpoint, but it also makes great financial sense for Maine.”

“And while FY22 saw terrific returns on our plastics,” said Matt Grondin, ecomaine’s director of Communications & Public Affairs, “the investments we are planning for our recycling facility in the future will only help to ensure ecomaine and our members continue to increase the amount of plastic materials that do not end up in Maine’s landfills. ecomaine will continue to focus on reduction and reuse through our community outreach efforts, but we will also always be ready to recycle those materials that can be recycled.”

In FY22, ecomaine diverted nearly 42,000 tons of waste material from landfill, including mixed paper, cardboard, metal cans and foil, glass bottles and jars, and rigid plastic containers #1-7, in addition to its food and organics diversion program.

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