Trash & Recycling

The City of Gardiner does not provide solid waste or recycling services. Residents and businesses must arrange for these services with a waste hauler licensed by the City.

Licensed Solid Waste and Recycling Haulers for Curbside Collection

Kevin Smith Trucking: 14 Langdon Road, Richmond, ME 04357 (207) 737-8470

Maine Squeeze: P.O. Box 915, Gardiner, ME 04345 (207) 582-8171

Pine Tree Waste/Casella: 3 Lafluer Road, Waterville, ME 04901 (207) 873-1219

Riverside Disposal: 700 River Road, Chelsea, ME 04330 (207) 623-2577

Troiano Waste: P.O. Box 3451, South Portland, ME 04104 (207) 767-2070

Waste Management: 357 Mercer Road, Norridgewock, ME 04957 (207) 634-2714

The City of Gardiner requires all haulers doing business in Gardiner to provide recycling pick-up but not all licensed haulers listed here have the capacity to provide recycling pick-up.

Please check with the hauler about the recycling services provided. Commonly recycled materials include cardboard, paper (newspapers, magazines, junk mail, etc.), tin cans, glass containers, and containers made of plastic that have a numbered recycle triangle printed on them.

Residents of Gardiner have access to Hatch Hill Landfill for disposal of solid waste, recycling, scrap metal, universal waste, and other materials.

The City of Gardiner pays an annual fee for all Gardiner residents. In addition, Gardiner residents choosing to go directly to Hatch Hill will pay for a biannual permit and also pay a ‘tipping fee’ for each visit. Permits can be purchased directly from Hatch Hill or at the Augusta City Hall.

For more information about facilities, please visit the Hatch Hill website or call 207-626-2440.

Hatch Hill tipping fees, effective September 1, 2024: 

• Hatch Hill Solid Waste Gate Fees(PDF, 102KB)
• Hatch Hill Universal Waste & E-Waste Fees(PDF, 588KB)

Residential single stream household recyclables and leaf/yard waste are free items.

Recycling glass, metal, and plastic beverage containers

Refundable deposits on containers covered by the Maine Bottle Bill must have ME-5¢ or ME-15¢ printed on them.

• 5¢ refundable deposit on beer, hard cider, wine coolers, soda, or noncarbonated water beverage containers, and alcoholic or noncarbonated drinks sold in the State
• 15¢ refundable deposit on spirits and wine beverage containers

Beverage containers NOT covered under the Bottle Bill:

• Milk, dairy-derived products
• Maine-produced apple cider and blueberry juice
• Seafood, meat or vegetable broths or soups
• Instant drink powders
• Products designed to be consumed in a frozen state
• Liquid syrups, concentrates or extracts

Redemption Locations in Gardiner

• Tiger Town Redemption Center, 20 Main Avenue

• CLYNK, Hannaford Gardiner, 40 Maine Avenue

• Some organizations and churches work with CLYNK to raise funds through donations. Check with local organizations.

Area locations accepting donations of gently used items. For donation details and accepted items check with the location.

• Goodwill Store and Donation Center, 5 Senator Way, Augusta, ME 04330, (207) 623-1774
• Kennebec Valley Humane Society, 168 Leighton Road, Augusta, ME 04330 (207) 626-3491
  • KVHS accepts blankets and towels for bedding, along with numerous other supplies. See details at pethavenlane.org
• Apparel Impact Bin, Ainslie's Market, 526 Brunswick Ave, Gardiner, ME 04345
  • Apparel Impact receives gently used clothing, shoes, accessories, and linens. Nearly 80% of what they collect is reused, which means someone will get to wear it again! They also accept items that may need a little TLC or aren't in the best condition, and they either upcycle or downcycle those items.

While plastic bags are typically not accepted in standard recycling programs, many retailers collect clean plastic bags, films and wraps for recycling.

Gardiner residents can recycle plastic bags and films at the following location:

• Hannaford Supermarket, 40 Maine Avenue, Gardiner, ME 04345

Eligible plastic films include:

• Retail carryout, produce, newspaper, bread, and dry-cleaning bags
• Zip-top food storage bags
• Plastic shipping envelopes (remove labels)
• Bubble wrap and air pillows (deflated)
• Product wrap on cases of water/soda bottles, paper towels, napkins, disposable cups, bathroom tissue, diapers, and female sanitary products
• Furniture and electronic wrap
• Plastic cereal box liners

Do not include

• Salad-mix bags
• Frozen-food bags
• Candy bar and snack wrappers
• Six-pack rings
• Chip bags
• Biodegradable/compostable bags or films

Currently Gardiner does not have food waste composting services. Homeowners interested in composting food scraps and waste are suggested to use a composter bin, available at many hardware stores.

To encourage a reduction in the amount of food in the waste stream, Maine has adopted a Food Recovery Hierarchy that prioritizes the ways that food scraps and food waste can be reused. The goal of the hierarchy is to reduce the amount of food incinerated or disposed of in landfills.

Maine DEP Composting Resources

Recycle cell phones and rechargeable batteries through Call2Recycle

Batteries and electronics can be disposed of at Hatch Hill. Tipping fees apply

Improper disposal of unused or expired drugs can pose a risk to family members and the environment. Accidental ingestion of drugs can result in serious injury and death. In addition, medicine may pollute water resources and impact wildlife if flushed down the drain. Protect the environment and limit the risk of ingestion by taking advantage of these disposal options.

The best way to dispose of most types of unused or expired medicine is to bring it to an authorized drug disposal location immediately.

Drug Collection Sites:

• Walgreens or CVS pharmacies
• Gardiner Police Station lobby, 6 Church St, Gardiner, ME 04345

Recycle unwanted paint at a PaintCare drop off sites:

• Gosline Hardware, 563 Maine Avenue, Farmingdale, ME 04344
• Sherwin-Williams Paint Store, 68 Western Avenue, Augusta, ME 04330
• Aubuchon Hardware, 10 Bangor Street, Augusta, ME 04330

Items such as thermostats, lamps, and auto-switches may contain mercury.

Hatch Hill Landfill accepts these items. Complete the Universal Waste Log(PDF, 588KB)  form. Tipping fees apply.

Find universal waste collection locations at Help ME Recycle

• Usable books can be delivered to the Gardiner Public Library, 152 Water Street, Gardiner, ME 04345

Wondering about recycling or disposing of other items?

Guidance from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection:

What Can I Recycle?

Resources from the Kennebec County Council of Governments

Electronic Waste Disposal