Trash talk: towns’ garbage in Maine landfills is up nearly 50 percent

Between 2018 and 2022, the amount of municipal solid waste landfilled in Maine shot up 47 percent, from 388,629 to 569,911 tons, according to a report by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection. The total amount of waste going to Maine landfills (including sludge, construction demolition debris, bulky waste and municipal solid waste) increased by 34 percent. There are more disposable products, fewer opportunities for recycling and more people in Maine than ever, and all are contributing to the increase. So are the sludge and sludge-derived products now being sent to landfills after laws banning spreading it on land went into effect. Debris from more intense storms will also add to the pile. The amount of trash generated in the state is growing at a faster rate than the population. Vanessa Berry, sustainable outreach coordinator with the Natural Resources Council of Maine, said, “It’s very much like an overflowing bathtub. We really need to focus on turning off the tap.”