RWS Launches Great Pumpkin Giveaway Program

PORTLAND - Regional Waste Systems, a non-profit municipal solid waste and recycling organization owned and controlled by 27 towns in southern Maine, has launched its annual "Great Pumpkin Giveaway" program to promote recycling at area elementary schools.

The pumpkins, which are grown on RWS land, are given to schools in RWS member towns to promote composting and recycling education, according to Susan McGinty of Cumberland, chair of the RWS Recycling Committee. Participating schools also will receive informational flyers from RWS as a way to raise awareness about composting and recycling among students and their families.

School administrators and teachers interested in the program are asked to call Missi Boothby at RWS, 773-6465.

Last year, more than 35 schools participated in the program and RWS gave away more than 6,400 pumpkins. Schools in Cape Elizabeth, Cumberland, Freeport, Gorham, Gray, Parsonsfield, Portland, South Portland, Scarborough, and Windham participated last year, and RWS anticipates even broader interest this time around.

"RWS gives the pumpkins away to give back to the community, but also to use as a teaching tool on composting and recycling," said Eric Root, director of materials recovery at RWS. "It's important to make less trash and recycle and compost more at home, and where better to start than with the kids."

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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