Waste study cited in Press Herald article on composting, recycling bill
A 2011 waste characterization study by the University of Maine School of Economics was cited in the Portland Press Herald article, “Maine lawmakers hear mixed testimony on composting, recycling bill.” Maine municipalities would have to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in additional fees to help fund new efforts to stimulate composting and recycling under a wide-ranging solid waste bill that recently came before state lawmakers, according to the article. Supporters said the composting measure would encourage towns and cities to send less waste to landfills or incinerators, while improving stagnant recycling rates, the article states. The UMaine study of trash generated by Mainers estimated that 38.4 percent of disposed of municipal solid waste going to landfills or incinerators could be composted and another 21.7 percent could be recycled. Only 40 percent was deemed suitable only for landfilling or incineration, the article states.