Regional Waste Systems, a nonprofit solid waste corporation, has voted to launch a single-stream recycling program in Maine.

The 21 Maine municalities that own and operate RWS voted to spend $3.7 million to install a recycling system to handle single-stream collection. It is projected to be operational in the winter of 2007. RWS will not increase tipping fees for member communities and will pay for the implementation through reserves and revenue from the sale of recyclables. Over 15 years, the single-stream system is expected to earn RWS about $4.5 million, said Kevin Roche, RWS general manager.

Two pilot projects tested the effectiveness of single-stream recycling. In Portland, Maine, the single-stream system reduced the time needed to complete recycling collection routes by 24 percent, Roche said.

RWS serves about 20 percent of Maine´s population through its 21 owner-communities and six associate-member communities.

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