LEWISTON — Almighty Waste wants Lewiston-Auburn’s recyclables, and on Monday it plans to begin accepting residential paper, plastic, cardboard and glass at its Green Team Recycling warehouse at 145 River Road.

It also plans to begin sending out trucks to pick up large loads at both businesses and homes if the loads are big enough and within 5 miles, company spokesman Roger Needham said.

“We will work with people to make it as easy as possible,” Needham said. “We know that there is a lot of confusion for people with municipal policies. ‘What will they take? What won’t they take?'”

Eventually, the company hopes to educate local folks accustomed to the most simple curbside recycling programs by giving them more options to reduce their trash, Needham said.

About half of the waste in any home can be recycled, he said. As much as possible, it should be captured and sent away.

“It makes good business sense,” Needham said. “It makes good environmental sense.”

Almighty Waste, which is based in Auburn, moved into the Lewiston warehouse about a year ago. Located behind a Dragon concrete plant, the Green Team recycling facility had been an insulation warehouse.

“We have plenty of room for whatever we want to do,” Needham said, walking across the hangar-like structure.

Inside, a front-end loader scooped up paper and dumped it into a baling  machine that wound materials in a thick wire. Individual bales weighing as much as 1,200 pounds each sat in a corner. In another corner, workers warmed themselves in an office that is slated to expand as the recycling business does.

In the coming weeks, the operation is slated to widen the materials it accepts to include computer equipment and cell phones known as “e-waste.” It will likely also add Saturdays to a schedule that will initially be Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Much will depend on how people use the service.

Currently, curbside recycling is offered in both Lewiston and Auburn. In Lewiston, the service is weekly. In Auburn, it is twice per month.

Needham said he hopes to educate people eventually on the specifics of paper and plastic types, other recyclable materials and how to ready them. But for now, the goal is encouraging people to come and talk with workers.

“There will be people here on a constant basis,” Needham said. “Talk to them.”

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