The state of Maine
plans to make a renewed push to get Mainers to recycle their trash following a
report that shows solid waste generation has grown while recycling efforts have
stalled.
The new report by
the State Planning Office shows that recycling efforts have stalled across
Maine in the past two years, with 40 percent of all solid waste recycled in
1999, down from 42 percent in 1997.
Maine remains among
the top states for recycling but it missed its goal of recycling 50 percent of
municipal solid waste by 2000.
For now, the state
has ample landfill space for the next 20 years as long as recycling continues
and existing landfills stay open.
But the state wants
to boost recycling efforts to save money on costly new landfills in the future.
The state and many communities plan to sponsor new recycling campaigns, as yet
undefined, to emphasize the importance and cost-effectiveness of reusing and
recycling waste.
''Maine people need
to be looking down the road,'' said George McDonald, recycling director for the
State Planning Office. ''Twenty years in the future seems like a long time
away, but if we had to site a landfill it would take seven to 10 years to get
approvals to begin operation.''
Solid waste generation continues to increase in Maine, from 1.6 million tons in 1997 to 1.7 tons in 1999. Maine incinerated 32 percent of its waste in 1999, while 22.2 percent went to landfills, 40 percent was recycled and 5.4 percent was exported to other states. – Portland Press Herald.
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