BIDDEFORD — Last year, the city council approved an agreement with Casella Waste Systems, the parent company of the Maine Energy Recovery Company waste-to-energy incinerator in Biddeford. One of the main features was to begin the city’s first curbside recycling program. But the impetus of that agreement was striking a deal for the city to purchase the downtown incinerator for $6.65 million, and to shut down and tear down the facility.
Casella has nearly fulfilled its part of the deal.
Today is the first day of the new recycling program.
In December, the downtown incinerator stopped operations. Demolition of the building will begin soon.
Many residents have long looked forward to both curbside recycling and the closure of Maine Energy.
Critics of the downtown incinerator came forth almost as soon as it began operating in 1987. The most significant complaints concerned the potential of health problems from pollutants released through the incineration process; traffic to and from the facility; and noxious odor emanating from the plant. Many have said that the presence of Maine Energy has been a stumbling block to investment in Biddeford’s downtown and mill district.
As for curbside recycling, it’s been at least two decades since Public Works Director Guy Casavant was first asked by the council to investigate creating a curbside recycling program for the city. And he’s been asked to go through that exercise several times since, before it finally became a reality.
Cost was always the hurdle, but this time around it was part of framework of the larger deal to purchase Maine Energy.
With the closure of the facility and the start of the recycling program, there is only one more significant portion of the agreement: Removing the Maine Energy facility.
According to Environmental Codes Officer Brian Phinney, who is the city staff person most involved with following this process, demolition could begin as early as this week.
The buildings associated with the plant have been emptied, he said.
Following an auction earlier this year, buyers had until mid-June to take possession of their purchases, according to Maine Energy representative Ken Robbins, who has been overseeing the closure of the facility.
Last week, said Phinney, work at the facility included asbestos abatement and removal of light fixtures.
The demolition process should take until August or September, he said, and then clean up of pollutants on the site will be conducted. Through an environmental study, dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls were found at the site.
When the cleanup is completed, the only reminder of the controversial Maine Energy facility will be the smokestack. The stack is remaining, at least for the near future, because several cell phone companies have leases to locate equipment on the stack. The proceeds of the leases, which were transferred to the city, will be used for partial payment of the Maine Energy purchase.
City officials believe that the closure of the facility will have a positive impact on the Biddeford’s future.
Economic Development Director Daniel Stephenson said since news of the shut down was first made public, he’s been fielding calls from investors interested both in potentially developing on the Maine Energy site as well as those interested in other sites in the downtown and mill district.
Last month, the planning board listened to conceptual plans to develop large residential complexes at both the Lincoln Mill and Riverdam Mill.
Doug Sanford, owner of the city’s largest mill property, the Pepperell Mill Campus, continues to place new businesses in his buildings and has plans for a hotel and restaurant to move in.
“It’s a new chapter” for Biddeford, said Mayor Alan Casavant.
— Staff Writer Dina Mendros can be contacted at 282-1535, Ext. 324 or dmendros@journaltribune.com.
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