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Skowhegan examines wood-chipping costs, recycling revenue and local reuse of inert material
Summary
Officials reviewed how clean wood is chipped and used as landfill cover, the town's $20,000 annual chipping budget, modest revenue from cardboard, and arrangements with neighboring towns and private firms for recycling and fill use.
Skowhegan participants spent a significant portion of the session on the town's wood pile, chipping costs and recycling flows. Speaker 1 said clean wood (no pressure-treated lumber) is chipped and hauled to Waste Management for use as daily landfill cover; the town receives a reduced disposal rate for that material but pays separate chipping fees.
"We have people that are there multiple times a day...When the trash gets picked up at the hospital and goes to waste management, we're paying it," Speaker 1 said, explaining how the transfer-station handles commercial and institutional loads. On chipping specifically, Speaker 1 said the town budgets about $20,000 annually for chipping crews, with single chipping events historically running near $10,000 to $12,000.
Participants clarified that brush and clean wood are handled separately to avoid contamination that would force material into higher-cost demolition debris. Speaker 2 and others noted that contamination and mixed material can damage chippers and that some local contractors decline mixed loads for that reason.
On recycling markets, Speaker 1 said cardboard currently returns roughly $50–$67 a ton while mixed paper currently yields little to no revenue though the town continues to ship recyclables under contract with Cassella. The town also uses a local inert pile (glass, porcelain) that is often given away for fill, with only trucking costs borne by the town in many cases.
Participants pointed to partnerships with nearby towns (Cornville, Solon) and private firms. Speaker 1 identified 'Douglas Jones' as a local operator with a large chipper. Several speakers said a feasibility study could clarify whether investments (local crushing, buy-back programs, or expanded sorting) would reduce net disposal costs.
No formal procurement decision was made; the discussion was framed as operational background to inform budgeting and potential contracting changes.
