AMERICAN JOURNAL • December 30, 2020
Recycling contamination overall has been reduced about 20% in the past two years in Westbrook due to education programs and bin “audits,” but dirty recyclables and related new fees are costing the city $6,000 or more a month on top of regular waste and recyclable removal fees. The rates are scheduled to increase in July. “If we continue to see this level of contamination, we will be paying almost $17,000 a month for recycling with the fee if we can’t lower our contamination rates,” said Sustainability Coordinator Lynn Leavitt.