ecomaine

Our Mission & Vision

ecomaine provides comprehensive, long-term solid waste solutions in a safe, environmentally responsible, economically sound manner, and is a leader in raising public awareness of sustainable waste management strategies.

At ecomaine, we prioritize the solid waste hierarchy, which is guidance from the federal Environmental Protection Agency and enshrined in Maine state statute. We look to push waste up the hierarchy as far as possible: reduction of waste generated; reuse of resources; recycling and employing materials back into the marketplace; composting or digestion of organic waste; creating electricity via waste-to-energy; and landfilling as a last resort.

ecomaine is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization based in Portland, serving 400,000 people in 73 member communities across Maine.

ecomaine operates three waste management facilities - a waste-to-energy plant, a landfill/ashfill site and a recycling operation - and employs full-time staff in environmental education, giving tours and presentations. We are dedicated supporters of environmental protection, as evidenced by our ISO 14001 certification for excellence in environmental management.

OUR HISTORY

ecomaine -originally named Regional Waste Systems – was founded in 1976 by the municipalities of Cape Elizabeth, Portland, Scarborough and South Portland in response to a new Maine law that called for the closing of privately owned landfills. Two years later the group purchased 240 acres (primarily located in South Portland and Scarborough) for a jointly owned landfill and bought a baler to satisfy their processing needs. By 1985, the regional organization had grown to 20 municipalities.

Guiding principles set forth by ecomaine’s governing communities have been – and continue to be – commitment to efficient waste services for their citizens and protection of the environment.

The waste-to-energy plant was built in 1988 and provided two major benefits: 1) use of municipal waste as fuel to generate and sell electricity for the financial health of the organization, and 2) reduction in the volume of trash by 90 percent to greatly extend the life of the landfill.

Recycling was added in 1990 and single-stream recycling was added in 2006 for both environmental and financial considerations that have succeeded beyond expectation.

Currently, ecomaine has grown to include more than 73 communities under contract for services, and implemented an Environmental as well as Health and Safety management system.