11/30/2016

Plastic bags no longer accepted in silver bullet recycling bins

Effective immediately, you may no longer place plastic shopping bags and films in the silver bullet recycling bins.

Ecomaine, the company that processes Cape Elizabeth's waste, is no longer accepting plastic bags, mostly because they clog machinery at the cooperative's facility in Portland. "Every day, no fewer than even ecomaine recycling facility employees are required to climb into the sorting equipment to cut out the plastic bags and films that get wrapped around the recycling separation equipment," said Recycling Facility Manager John Morin in a press release.

Ecomaine also cites a weak market for recycled #2 and #4 bags; and, a desire to support the number of communities that have instituted fees fees for carry-out bags as a means of reducing the waste stream.

Cape Elizabeth is also considering a ban on single-use carry-out bags. The town's Recycling Committee has drafted ordinances regulating single-use shopping bags as well as polystyrene foam, in line with a Town Council goal for 2016. The council is expected to refer the recommendations to committee at its next meeting Dec. 12.

Ecomaine encourages shoppers to carry their purchases in reusable shopping bags, or, to recycling plastic bags at a recovery box set up in a major grocery store or retailer. Please see plasticfilmrecycling.org for a list of nearby locations.

Ecomaine is a non-profit waste management company owned and operated by 21 municipalities in Southern Maine, including Cape Elizabeth. See the ecomaine website for more detailed information on what can and cannot be recycled at ecomaine.