ACTON • ALFRED • BUXTON • CORNISH • HOLLIS • LIMERICK • LIMINGTON • LYMAN NEWFIELD • PARSONSFIELD • SANFORD/SPRINGVALE • SHAPLEIGH • WATERBORO FREE YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER Locally owned and independently operated. VOLUME 19, ISSUE 16 PO Box 75, North Waterboro, ME 04061 • 247-1033 • www.waterbororeporter.com THURSDAY, APRIL 22, 2021 Hannaford sends zero food waste to landfills Zero food waste program kept 65 million pounds of food waste from reaching landfills in 2020 Hannaford Supermarkets has itizes the rescue of surplus prod- Drug Take- announced that each of its 183 uct for donation to food insecure stores donates or diverts all food individuals – generating millions at risk of going to waste, sending of meals donated annually. Other Back Day no food at all to landfills. key elements of Hannaford’s food Saturday, April 24, from The accomplishment, which is waste diversion program include the culmination of a decade-long donations to local farmers for ani- 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. effort, makes Hannaford the first mal feed and food-to-energy con- at multiple Maine sites large-scale grocery retailer across version efforts. its New England and New York Hannaford’s adherence to this Ahead of the U.S. Drug En- market to meet this goal. The ac- process kept 65 million pounds of forcement Agency’s (DEA) Na- complishment also highlights that food waste from reaching land- tional Prescription Drug Take- Hannaford is an industry leader in fills in 2020. Back Day this Saturday, April managing food waste and in work- “The health and well-being of 24, U.S. Senators Susan Collins ing to address climate change. our planet are a top priority for all (R-ME) and Angus King (I-ME) Creatures Hannaford achieved the mile- of us at Hannaford and we recog- announced the locations of the stone with a multi-pronged ap- nize that our role in the food sup- Maine collection sites. proach focused on first preventing ply chain comes with great respon- “Unused prescription drugs are living here food waste through strategic prod- sibility,” said Mike Vail, President that collect in our homes can fall uct ordering and management at of Hannaford Supermarkets. “The into the wrong hands, creating the store level. Hannaford associ- impact food waste has on our en- unintended gateways to opioid A flower longhorn beetle on a Purple Coneflower. ates are trained on how to respon- vironment cannot be overstated. addiction. Properly disposing of PHOTO BY DEBBIE BRODERICK sibility handle food to avoid dam- When we first established this unused drugs is one way we can age and exposure to temperature goal, it was with the greater pur- each do our part to combat the BY DEbbIE BRODERICK When things are miniscule, and variation. pose of making a real and positive opioid epidemic, particularly as not obviously visible to us, we Each Hannaford store also impact on our communities. Elim- Maine has seen a concerning in- The insects that pollinate our tend to act as if they’re not there. strictly follows the U.S. Environ- inating hunger and food waste are crease in drug abuse during the flowers and crops need a place And yet, there is a whole secret mental Protection Agency Food essential to improving the world COVID-19 pandemic,” said Sen- to develop and mature during community functioning right Recovery Hierarchy, which prior- (Continued on page 2) ators Collins and King in a joint the spring. While it may look under our noses. Every year our statement. “Maine is one of the untidy to you, the twigs, leaf attempts at neatening our yards top 10 states that have disposed litter, hollowed stems and seed and gardens destroys habitat for the most prescriptions through pods lying around our yards thousands of creatures – how is the DEA’s Drug Take-Back Pro- during this time of year actually this any different from rainfor- gram. We are confident that our provide our developing insect est clearing and destruction that state will continue to lead efforts world with a nurturing habitat. we clamor about? Thinking of to stop the misuse of unused drugs If we decimate them with rakes, it in these terms might hold us that pose a serious threat to our leaf blowers, mowers and fires, back from destroying their hab- communities.” we are destroying their entire itats so quickly. Plus, that leaf National Prescription Drug breeding effort for this year. litter does wonders for holding Take-Back Day aims to provide a This next generation of benefi- moisture close to the soil for safe, convenient, and responsible cial bugs need a chance to finish our young plants. means of disposing prescription their cycle and hatch before you We can also choose not to drugs, while also educating the clear your yard every spring. use insecticides in our yards, general public about the poten- Overwintering in these places is or decide not to buy plants with tial for abuse of medications. In a long term investment for these neonicotinoids for our flower 2020, the collection sites began little creatures, and the payoffs beds. We can also do more by accepting vaping devices and as- contribute to our futures too, simply waiting - waiting till sociated substances. since they pollinate and ensure the trees have leafed out, since At a previous Take-Back our food supply, as well as serv- that will stop the lawn and Event in October 2020, federal, ing as a food source for birds, flowerbeds from drying out. state, and local government enti- reptiles, amphibians and fish. In other words, by learning to Waterboro’s new CEO ties took back more than 985,000 We get upset about habitat be open-minded in viewing the pounds of unused, expired, or un- destruction that displaces polar ‘debris’ differently, we get to do Mike Gilpatrick is Waterboro’s new full-time Code Enforcement Officer. wanted drugs at more than 4,500 bears or elephants because we less yardwork! Some of you may have seen Mike around town as he had been working locations across the United States. can see, relate and empathize. (Continued on page 3) over the past year as a part-time Deputy Code Officer assisting former (Continued on page 5) CEO Glenn Charette, who recently retired. COURTESY PHOTO is still hiring! START DATE: JUNE 1st We are looking for customer Apply at jobs.spectrum.com today! service representatives for our Spectrum Mobile department! PAID TRAINING: 4 weeks, Tue.-Sat. 11 a.m.-7:30 p.m. • STARTING PAY: $18.00/hour, plus .75 shift diff erential for shifts that start at or after 11 a.m. BENEFITS: Medical, Dental, Vision, 401 K w/ 6% company match, Retirement plan, Free and discounted employee cable, internet & phone package (must live in service footprint), Accrued paid vacation, personal days, annual paid holidays, accrued paid sick time, and annual tuition reimbursement of $5,250. PAGE 2 Thursday, April 22, 2021 REPORTER BUSINESS NEWS energy in our state,” said Con- ZERO FOOD WASTE ment.” shelf-stable and fresh, nutritious low-through, and commitment to gressman Jared Golden (ME-02). (Continued from page 1) The partnership with Han- food and produce. Food from the public good” said U.S. Senator I applaud all the Hannaford work- naford has enabled Agri-Cycle to Hannaford stores is distributed Angus King. “From feeding our ers who have worked hard to seize we live in.” expand its area of operation and through the Food Bank’s partner hungry citizens through support these opportunities, reduce food While food recovery and do- make the process more accessible network of over 500 hunger-relief for local food banks to supporting waste in their stores, and make nation are long-established opera- to other companies and organiza- organizations, helping thousands local farmers and generating new this achievement possible.” tional practices at Hannaford, the tions in the Northeast. of Mainers who are experiencing forms of energy, it is clear that “Hannaford’s efforts to take retailer fully realized the achieve- “Hannaford’s role as a front- hunger.” this forward-thinking approach is concrete steps toward reducing ment of zero food waste by part- runner in achieving this milestone Additionally, Hannaford yielding major benefits for people food waste by enhancing their or- nering with Agri-Cycle, a food has allowed Agri-Cycle to gain stores donate food not suitable for across Maine, with added benefits dering and handling systems, as waste recycling company based in efficiency of scale and provide human consumption to local live- for the international effort to curb well as ensuring efficient access Scarborough, Maine, to turn food food waste recycling services to stock farmers, who use the items climate change. I commend Han- to surplus food to Maine families unsuitable for human and animal many other businesses in towns as feed for cows, sheep, pigs and naford for their emphasis on long- who need it, is commendable,” consumption into energy. and cities across New England,” other animals. term sustainability, and encourage said Maine Department of Agri- A leader of this space in New said Bell. “Hannaford has had a During the public announce- other supermarkets nationwide to culture, Conservation and Forest- England, Agri-Cycle’s opera- significant impact not only at their ment, conservation leader, Beth adopt this roadmap to reduce food ry Commissioner Amanda Beal. tion includes a state-of-the-art stores, but on hundreds of other Ahearn, Director of Government waste.” “Furthermore, finding innovative de-packaging machine that sep- food waste producers throughout Affairs for the Maine Conserva- “With many families experi- ways to recapture energy and/or