Trash & Recycling

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What day is trash and recycling collected?

- For the streets west of Main Street, from Gardner Road to Bennoch Road, trash pick-up is Thursdays.
- For both sides of Main Street and all streets east of Main, including everything north of the Stillwater River (College Avenue, Webster side), trash pick-up is Fridays.
- Recycling occurs every other week.
- On the following holidays, trash pick-up is delayed by one day (except when the holiday falls on the weekend): New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas.

Trash Pick Up Routes In Orono

Residential trash is currently being processed by Penobscot Energy Recovery Company (PERC). 

Recycling is Zero-Sort and is processed by Casella. Click to see a complete list of allowable recyclable materials

The Town of Orono will continue to contract with Pine Tree Waste for curbside collection of trash and recycling. No changes to the schedule have been made. This relationship with PERC and Casella was formed to comply with the waste hierarchy adopted by the State of Maine. 

Orono is a part of the Municipal Review Committee (MRC), which is a nonprofit organization representing 115 Maine communities that have joined together to ensure the affordable, long-term and environmentally sound disposal of their municipal solid waste. 


You have a household item to discard...what do you do with it?

...is it RECYCLABLE?

  • Paper
  • Plastics (see Casella figure below on which plastics are recyclable)
  • Glass
  • Cardboard
  • Cans

Recyclables go in your recycling bin to be picked up curbside by the Town of Orono and processed by CasellaClick to see a complete list of allowable materials. All recyclables should be clean and dry. We all need to understand what’s acceptable in our local recycling program and remember: When in doubt, throw it out. There are too many non-recyclable items in recycling bins. These sorting mistakes add up and hurt recycling programs. Please go to Casella's website for more information.

Recycling image from casella

...is it a TEXTILE?

  • Clothing
  • Footwear
  • Blankets
  • Towels

Textiles can be donated to used goods locations like the Orono Thrift Store, Textile Donation Bins at the Orono Thrift Shop (10 Birch Street), and Bell’s IGA.

Apparel Recycling Statistics  

Apparel Impact 2019 annual report - 5.3 tons of textiles were collected in the Town of Orono in six months in 2019.

Apparel Impact 2020 annual report - 12.4 tons of textiles were collected in the Town of Orono in 2020.

Apparel Impact 2021 annual report - 10.6 tons of textiles were collected in the Town of Orono in 2021.

Textile donation bin is located at 10 Birch Street, beside the Thrift Store.

clothes

...is it UNIVERSAL WASTE?

  • TVs
  • Batteries (lithium)
  • Lightbulbs

Learn more about recycling universal waste services at the Environmental Education Materials Page here.

universal waste items

... is it made of METAL? It can go to the Landfill to be recycled. 

  • Microwaves
  • Toasters / Toaster Ovens 
  • Scrap metal
  • Pipes
  • Does it have freon or a coolant? - Extra fee associated
    • Refrigerators
    • Freezers
    • Dehumidifers
    • AC Units

Landfill permits can be purchased at the Town Office. Scrap metal is free to drop off at Landfill, but a permit is required.

...can it go to the LANDFILL

  • Yard Waste 
  • Mattresses
  • Construction Waste 
  • Tires

Landfill permits can be purchased at the Town Office. Yard waste is free to drop off at Landfill, but a permit is required.

...is it HAZARDOUS WASTE?

  • Petroleum-based products
  • Oil Paint
  • Pesticides
  • Fertilizers
  • Propane

Hazardous Waste Disposal Event at Old Town Transfer Station, 246 Gilman Falls Ave, Old Town

hazardous.waste_.day_.SF_.courtesy

...if the answer to all of these is NO, it is TRASH

  • Contaminated organics (paper plates, pizza boxes)
  • Straws, plastic utensils (too small to recycle)
  • Packaging plastics / film plastics
  • Styrofoam