Businesses urged to use single-sort recycle program

WEST PARIS —  West paris selectmen, during the February 28 meeting, said they would like to see local businesses take advantage of the town's single-sort recycling program. 

Selectman Wade Rainey said commercial solid waste collection in town has become an issue. He said the town is currently paying to haul off at least 15 commercial waste containers which costs approximately $12,000 per year.

"We need to address this situation," Rainey said.

According to Rainey, before the town initiated its single-sort recycling program it only allowed businesses one bin to recycle cardboard. 

Now, he said, "they are throwing everything in them and it's costing us thousands of dollars a year for these people to have these bins when we are providing a place for them," to dispose of their solid waste and recyclables. 

He said he hopes businesses will take advantage of single-sort at the town's transfer station. The single-sort program began partly because businesses were not separating their garbage from recyclables, Rainey said.

The town has been using single-sort recycling since it was approved by voters at the 2012 town meeting.

At a January 24 meeting, Karen McNaughton, from Pine Tree Waste Inc., told selectmen the town recorded an overall 24-percent diversion rate of waste materials from recycling since the program began, which is "phenomenal," but that the commercial diversion was down approximately 20 percent. 

"I think they need to go to the transfer station and recycle just like everybody else," Rainey said, during the February 28 meeting, "instead of us  paying for them to not recycle." 

"It's either that, or they pay the bill themselves," said Selectman Dennis Henderson. 

According to selectmen, the single-sort program cost the town $80,000 to set up and is not being  fully utilized.

Selectmen agreed to send letters to business owners to inform them they will now be required to bring their trash and recycling to the town's transfer station, located on Pioneer Street, or personally contract with Pine Tree Waste.  

In other news, the board: 

• Reported that the town's highway crew has used 70 percent of its anticipated overtime hours for the 2012-2013 season. The town has used 54 percent of its 2013 salt budget. 

• Reported that the town's website, www.westparisme.com, has been updated to now include selectmen's meeting minutes, town ordinances, town meeting information and business listings. 

• Approved the resale of a tax-acquired property on Roy Road to its prior owner. 

• Agreed to purchase a new 40-yard container for the transfer station.