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EcoMain tells Hollis how new EPR law and an automated MRF could boost local recycling and reimbursements
Summary
EcoMain told the Hollis Select Board that Maine's extended producer responsibility program (EPR), starting Jan. 1, 2026, will shift many recycling costs to producers and that a new automated materials recovery facility (MRF) and targeted outreach could help Hollis raise its recycling rate from about 17% toward a one-third goal to maximize reimbursements.
EcoMain officials told the Hollis Select Board on July 2 that Maine's extended producer responsibility (EPR) program and a new automated materials recovery facility could materially lower local recycling costs and increase reimbursements to the town.
"EPR is going to give recycling the shot in the arm that it's needed," EcoMain general manager Kevin said, explaining that the law shifts much of the financial burden for packaging from municipalities to the companies that produce it. He said producers will begin paying into the stewardship program on Jan. 1, 2026, municipalities should track 2026 recycling costs, and reimbursements are expected to be distributed by October 2027.
Kevin and EcoMain communications director Lucy Sullivan described planned investments in a 60,000-square-foot conversion to a materials recovery facility (MRF) adjacent to EcoMain's waste-to-energy plant and existing recycling infrastructure. The MRF will use optical sorting and automated air-jet separation to increase throughput and reduce manual sorting.
"This will be automated and you program these sorting devices to sort any material you want," Kevin said, noting optical sorters can process many times the pieces-per-minute of manual sorters. He said EcoMain is converting an old warehouse near the turnpike and expects significant operational synergies.
Sullivan reviewed recycling fundamentals for residents, advising that glass, metal, rigid plastics (numbered 1—), cardboard and paper are appropriate for the blue bin while items such as grocery bags, chip bags, lithium-ion batteries, textiles and Styrofoam are not. She emphasized contamination costs: materials that cannot be sold lose market value and raise processing expenses.
EcoMain presented local data showing Hollis's recycling rate at about 17% over the last decade and said a realistic target is roughly one-third (33%) of the waste stream. Kevin said reaching that level would both conserve landfill space and maximize EPR reimbursements because an estimated 70—8% of material placed in blue bins is packaging eligible under the program.
On market conditions, EcoMain said cardboard markets have been steady and certain plastics (natural milk jugs, PET) command high prices; Kevin noted a common bale of plastic bottles sells for about $2,000 per ton. Those market returns, he said, influence how much producers may be required to support under stewardship rules.
During public questions, EcoMain said recycling and outreach investments, including providing blue bins to residents and direct-mail education, can be eligible for reimbursement through the stewardship organization but municipalities must apply and document costs. Kevin recommended a multi-pronged approach: provide containers to residents, repeat public education across schools and events, and aim for higher participation rather than one-off enforcement.
The presentation closed with EcoMain offering follow-up support for Hollis's outreach and an invitation to tour the new facility once conversions are complete.
What comes next: EcoMain recommended Hollis begin tallying recycling-specific costs for calendar-year 2026 to ensure eligibility for reimbursement and to consult the stewardship organization about applying for funding for containers and outreach.
