Ecomaine, a Portland, Maine-based waste and recycling agency and operator of the facility, says it is making steady progress in diverting and recycling plastic scrap in the state.
The company said it would be happy to provide data and feedback in response to what it describes as “recent media articles” that cast doubt on the value of recycling. Maine’s recycling program for landfill diversion. ”
“From time to time we see reports proclaiming the ‘death of recycling’ or the ineffectiveness of take-back programs,” says Kevin Roche, CEO of Ecomaine. , and the glass containers received by Ecomain from residents are packed at a recycling facility and recycled into new products. ”
In fiscal 2022, Ecomaine said it processed, prepared and shipped 943 tons of plastic containers and received more than $735,000 from brokers and end markets who purchased these bottles, jugs, cups and tubs. ”
The agency also said Maine had an overall rate of 72% nationally, according to a March 2021 report by UK-based consultancy Eunomia, which surveyed container and packaging recycling rates state by state. It was shown that the recycling rate of containers ranked top.
“The fact that the average truckload of Maine plastic containers is sold for tens of thousands of dollars to manufacturers who make all-new bottles, jugs, composites, textiles, etc., means that these have no landfill value. It helps us know that it is a commodity or it will burn,” Roche adds.
“Last year, Ecomain’s recycling program generated more than $5 million in revenue for the organization and its member communities. increase.”
“Fiscal 2022 has brought great returns to our plastics, but the investments we plan to make for recycling facilities in the future will cost Ecomain and our members a lot of money that ends up in landfills in Maine. It just helps to ensure that we continue to increase the amount of plastic material that is irreplaceable, said Matt Grondin, Director of Communications and Public Relations at Ecomain.
In fiscal year 2022, Ecomaine, which serves more than 70 communities, will expand mixed paper, cardboard, metal cans and foil, glass jars and jars, and rigid plastic containers No. 1-7, food and organic diversion programs, and more. hand.
