Portland Press Herald

Cities and towns could have to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in additional fees to help fund new efforts to stimulate composting and recycling under a wide-ranging solid waste bill that came before Maine lawmakers Wednesday.

Supporters, including major environmental groups, said the composting measure would encourage municipalities to send less waste to landfills or incinerators, while improving stagnant recycling rates.

But critics contended that the new fees would be a burden to businesses as well as communities already struggling with cuts in state revenue sharing.

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