LIVERMORE FALLS – Selectmen voted to extend permits for private trash haulers to April 7 and have company representatives come to the town office to apply for a new ones.

They also approved Town Manager Martin Puckett’s recommendations to enforce the town’s mandatory recycling policy with haulers.

Permits have been extended three times since December as town officials grapple with low recycling rates from haulers and more solid waste disposal over several years.

However, recycling rates have increased, Puckett said.

The town has a 40-percent-plus annual recycling rate but falls short of the state’s recommended 50 percent.

Puckett made a number of recommendations to selectmen to increase recycling rates with haulers.

Inspections will be done at the Jay Transfer Station to make sure haulers are enforcing mandatory recycling, he said.

Haulers will be given a 30-day grace period to make sure their customers are recycling, he added.

Inspections may also be done of people’s trash set out for the hauler, he added, to make sure residents are recycling.

Puckett said he also plans to recommend haulers operate a separate vehicle to carry recyclables and recommend or make it mandatory that the same day they pick up waste, they pick up recyclables.

Each hauling company will be given a copy of the town’s Solid Waste Ordinance to make them aware of the town’s requirements, he added.

Puckett said is also looking at more cooperation with Jay.

He also added that he has collected four years worth of data on recycling rates for each hauler and he plans to set recyclable levels for them to meet.

Private solid waste haulers account for 65 percent of the solid waste rate that comes in, he said.

The town has applied for a Maine efficiencies grant with Jay so the two towns could find more ways to reduce costs in both sewer and solid waste.