By David Harry, staff writer The Forecaster news story PORTLAND — By this time next year, recycling could be on a roll in Portland. A plan forwarded by City Manager Jon Jennings and Sustainability Coordinator Troy Moon to purchase carts for storing recyclable materials and three semi-automated trucks to collect the materials was endorsed by a Read More
Sustainability
Our vision of sustainability in Maine is ensuring a healthy future for life on Earth. Maine’s clean and healthy environment strengthens the state’s economy and is central to our way of life. Holding polluting corporations accountable through systemic changes in local, state, and federal policies is the key to creating a more healthy, prosperous, sustainable future for us all.
Too Many Unknowns
The Ellsworth American editorial Communities in Hancock County and beyond — and the Municipal Review Committee that represents them — might want to give additional thought to their support for the Fiberight solid waste processing facility proposed for construction in Hampden. Eight members of the Maine Legislature’s Environmental and Natural Resources Committee — including the Read More
Company Offers Guarantee for Maine Towns to Reduce Trash by More than One-third
News Release The Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM) and WasteZero announced today a joint initiative to help Maine towns dramatically reduce waste through WasteZero Trash Metering®, a Pay-As You-Throw (PAYT) program for household trash. WasteZero, the nation’s largest waste reduction company, will guarantee Maine communities that adopt its program—and that don’t already have a Read More
Controversial Hampden Waste Facility Gets Clearance
The Natural Resources Council says it is ‘dumbfounded’ by the state Department of Environmental Protection’s decision. by Madeline St. Amour, Morning Sentinel Portland Press Herald news story The Department of Environmental Protection has issued the final permits for a first-of-its-kind waste management plant in Hampden that would convert trash from more than 100 central Maine Read More
NRCM Dumbfounded at DEP Approval of MRC/Fiberight Waste Processing Facility
NRCM statement about Fiberight Application “We are extremely disappointed in Maine Department of Environmental Protection’s handling of the Fiberight application” said Sarah Lakeman, Sustainable Maine Project Director for NRCM. “There are powerful grounds for an appeal of these licenses.” NRCM, the Environment and Natural Resource Committee of the Legislature, engineers, attorneys, Maine citizens and others Read More
Tapping Maine’s Waste Stream for New Ways to Make Money
By Darren Fishell, BDN Staff Bangor Daily News news story PORTLAND, Maine — As a high-profile fight continues over waste management for 187 Bangor-area towns, a cluster of private businesses based in southern Maine are finding success carving out smaller niches within recycling programs here and, increasingly, elsewhere. The bottle redemption center operator Clynk announced Read More
Legislators Question Viability of Fiberight Waste Proposal
Eight members of a legislative committee are calling on the Department of Environmental Protection to withhold a permit for the controversial waste-to-energy project until concerns over state law and funding are addressed. By Madeline St. Amour, Staff Writer Central Maine newspapers news story A controversial proposal to build a waste-to-energy plant in Hampden that would handle Read More
Midcoast Towns Struggle with Trash Tug-of-War
by Andy O’Brien Free Press news story In the coming weeks, Camden, Rockport, Hope and Lincolnville will hold special town meetings to decide where to send their 6,000 tons of annual household trash after March 31, 2018. That date marks the expiration of a lucrative electricity contract between the utility Emera Maine and the Penobscot Read More
Freeport Approves Ban on Single-use Plastic Bags
The ordinance prohibits disposable plastic shopping bags and includes a 5-cent fee on paper bags. By Peter McGuire, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald news story FREEPORT — Voters approved a townwide ban on disposable plastic shopping bags Tuesday, joining a number of Maine communities putting restrictions on the items. Residents approved the ban 804-501, about Read More
