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Electronics Any Size $5Monitors $3 Lamps Straight Fluorescent $0.15/footDevices Containing Mercury Thermostats $2.00 eachBallasts All Ballasts $3.00 each |
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The MMSWA facility provides for the disposal of solid waste at its Transfer Station and operates a Recycling Facility on the premises. The site also offers demolition debris disposal, composting, tire disposal, white goods (refrigerators, appliances, etc.), universal waste (televisions, monitors, etc.), and metal disposal. The end of 2006 marks MMSWA's fifteenth year of operation. Since opening the MMSWA facility, avoided costs are upwards of $1,150,000 of taxpayer's money as a result of recycling products that can be re-sold and/or re-used. During 2006 the facility processed over 5,520 tons of municipal waste and more than 1600 tons of recycled goods. As a result of our recycled goods sales and avoided costs for shipping waste to Penobscot Recovery Corporation (PERC), we achieved savings of nearly $150,000 over the course of 2006. Our recycling rate for 2006 was 41%, which is under Maine's 2008 goal of 50%. Please take the time to check what recycled goods are accepted at our facility, as recycling will only benefit us all help us achieve Maine's recycling goal. 2006 brought some changes to MMSWA, however. The State of Maine and the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) have been changing how the state of Maine handles municipal waste. Changes include mandatory recycling of universal waste (televisions, computer monitors, fluorescent lights, ballast, as well as mercury switches, thermometers, and thermostats). Universal waste will cause serious damage to our environment when not properly disposed of and Maine is one of the first states to make the recycling of universal goods mandatory in order to keep hazardous waste out of our mainstream disposal system. We have seen a reduction in disposal rates for universal waste and the fees are as follows: televisions are $5.00 each (any size) and computer monitors cost $3.00 each. All other universal waste products can be disposed of properly for free, except for businesses. We kindly ask that you please do not break your fluorescent bulbs or throw away any mercury devices; we now accept them for free. Additionally, the DEP has modified the rules pertaining to our demolition debris disposal, its composition, and usages. Because the DEP has enforced stricter guidelines on facilities that burn demolition wood, there are only a couple of facilities in Maine that will burn it. Consequently this has increased our costs three-fold from 2005. The new rules however are better for the environment and also require MMSWA to closely monitor the materials deposited into our demolition debris areas. We at MMSWA strongly encourage all patrons to check with the attendant before off-loading any materials to be sure that all waste is disposed of correctly. If you have any questions about the DEP's rules pertaining to municipal waste, universal waste, or demolition debris, please feel free to contact MMSWA or visit the Department of Environmental Protection website at www.maine.gov/dep. Rules for the use of the transfer station and recycling facility, as well as a schedule of fees, and vehicle permits are available in the town office. Please feel free to contact the facility if you have any questions at 924-3650. Current permits are required to use the MMSWA facility. Respectfully submitted. Trampas King |
