RWS Pumpkin Giveaway Deadline to Reserve Pumpkins this Friday, Oct. 10

PORTLAND - Regional Waste Systems, a non-profit municipal solid waste and recycling organization owned and operated by 21 communities in southern Maine, has launched its annual "Great Pumpkin Giveaway" program to promote recycling at area elementary schools.

The deadline for reserving the pumpkins is Friday, Oct. 10. School administrators and teachers interested in the program are asked to call Missi Boothby at RWS, 773-6465.

Pumpkins are given to schools in RWS member towns to promote composting and recycling education. The program is organized by RWS Recycling Committee. For more information on composting, visit the RWS website at www.regionalwaste.org/composting.html.

RWS is owned and controlled by 21 member communities and also has six associate member towns. Those communities are: Baldwin, Bridgton, Cape Elizabeth, Casco, Cumberland, Falmouth, Freeport, Gorham, Gray, Harrison, Hollis, Limington, Lyman, Naples, North Yarmouth, Ogunquit, Parsonsfield, Porter, Portland, Pownal, Raymond, Scarborough, South Portland, Standish, Waterboro, Windham, and Yarmouth.

Established in 1974 after Portland, South Portland, Cape Elizabeth and Scarborough decided to form a cooperative to handle their waste disposal, today RWS is governed by a 28-member board, consisting of officials appointed from member towns.

RWS accepts solid waste and recycled materials from its member communities and today operates the largest municipal recycling program in Maine with more than 100 recycling bins in 60 locations. For additional information on RWS, visit www.regionalwaste.org.

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