Maine has made incremental progress toward its statewide recycling goal in recent years after losing ground before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. About 36% of household waste was recycled in 2024, the highest point in five years, according to a new report from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection.
Lucy Sullivan, a spokesperson for EcoMaine in Portland, said convenience often leads to higher recycling rates for the dozens of towns and cities in southern Maine that send their waste to the company. “Communities that are able to provide curbside pickup have much, much higher recycling rates than communities where people have to for example travel to a transfer station to get their recycling done,” Sullivan said.
Maine lost almost $22 million from recoverable materials disposed in its waste stream, according to the report. Roughly 481,000 tons of greenhouse gas pollution could have been avoided if typical household recyclable and compostable waste was diverted away from landfills, it added. Maine’s waste generation is also increasing and outpacing the state’s population growth, according to the DEP report. It suggests boosting the state’s second-hand goods market and expanding initiatives to share things like camping gear and tools.