South Portland Progress
waste reduction
1 TABLED
5 IN PROGRESS
3 NOT STARTED
(Updated Dec 2023)
Expand a pay-as-you-throw system to South Portland.
Status: Tabled/Not Passed by City Council
Update: Analyzed the cost and feasibility of different PAYT models and presented to Council in June 2023; Council unanimously failed to move forward at workshop. (Updated Dec 2023)
Key Milestones: Implement PAYT program in South Portland by 2026.
Mandate recycling for commercial and multifamily buildings.
Status: In Progress
Update: Develop a multifamily recycling ordinance to present to Council in 2024 for adoption. (Updated Dec 2023)
Key Milestones: Require recycling in commercial and multifamily residential buildings by 2026.
Expand programs to divert food waste and increase organics recycling rates to ensure that excess food is better used to nourish people, animals, industries, and soils.
Status: In Progress
Update: Explored options for citywide curbside food waste collection with PAYT; working to establish more drop off sites. (Updated Dec 2023)
Key Milestones: Reduce food waste in trash stream 70% by 2040.
Ban select single-use plastics and identify partnerships to reduce plastic waste,
Status: In Progress
Update: Participating in rule-making for the state product stewardship for packaging program. (Updated Dec 2023)
Key Milestones: Eliminate single-use plastics in the cities to the fullest extent practicable by 2026.
Foster a circular and sharing economy.
Status: In Progress
Update: Launched the South Portland Electric Tool Library (SPETL); now looking to expand in 2024. (Updated Dec 2023)
Key Milestones: Ongoing efforts to establish new spaces, programs, or initiatives in each city that support resource sharing, reuse, or repair
Reduce construction and demolition waste through targeted re-use initiatives.
Status: Not started
Update: None (Updated Dec 2023)
Key Milestone: Adopt C&D waste reduction targets and ordinance by 2035.
Work with state and regional partners to encourage “by-product synergy” with industrial waste streams.
Status: Not started
Update: None (Updated Dec 2023)
Key Milestone: Regional materials marketplace launched by 2035
Investigate options for reducing emissions of wastewater treatment with anaerobic digestion.
Status: Not started
Update: None (Updated Dec 2023)
Key Milestone: Engineering feasibility study commissioned by 2032
Adopt a sustainable purchasing policy for municipal procurement.
Status: In Progress
Update: Working to develop a sustainable purchasing policy for the City. (Updated Dec 2023)
Key Milestone: Sustainable purchasing policy adopted by 2024
