Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Recycling topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Monmouth weighs recycling pilot, battery disposal and transfer-station upgrades
Summary
Public works briefed the board on a failed single-stream contract that forced 31 diverted loads to trash last year, a proposed clear-glass pilot tied to bottle-deposit fundraising, mounting vehicle-battery volumes and options (scale, baler, compactor) to reduce costs at the transfer station.
Public Works staff told the Select Board Monmouth's recycling contractor has refused loads intermittently, forcing 31 diverted loads from July '25 to June '26 into trash disposal and raising per-ton costs. “Starting in July '25 through June '26… 31 loads have been diverted,” the director said, noting single-stream processor capacity issues in Portland and higher per-ton charges for recycling than trash.
Staff proposed a pilot with a local recycler to collect clear glass separately, which could reduce trash volume and support community fundraising tied to bottle deposits, but the arrangement raises logistics and equity questions about returning nickel refunds to individual donors. Director: “He's only interested in the money that the collector and the distributor… there's more money than a nickel there.”
An additional operational pressure is battery disposal: staff reported five pallets of vehicle batteries accumulated in roughly three months and noted rules limiting acceptance of broken batteries and operational costs to transport batteries for recycling. The board discussed installing a scale, upgrading to a compactor or baler and the potential need for 3-phase power — items that may require voter funding or grant applications. Staff said some state programs might accept batteries for free, which could reduce the town's cost to manage hazardous waste.
