Transfer Station

It is mandatory to recycle clean corrugated cardboard!!

Cereal boxes are not cardboard and need to be recycled with mixed paper.

Recycling is located on the right hand side as you enter the transfer station.

Recycling is permitted to China and Palermo residents only. 

The China Transfer Station is located at 191 Alder Park Road. The Transfer Station is staffed by Joshua Watson, Thomas Maraggio, Cheyenne (Cj) Houle and Timothy Hatch. The town and staff at the transfer station would like to encourage residents to recycle more and throw less trash in the "hopper." A substantial savings can be realized if all community members participate in the various recycling programs the transfer station offers.

The new Transfer Station Access Policy was adopted on October 23, 2023 and can be viewed here. This policy ends the use of a single, free floating RFID tag and repeals and replaces the RFID Policy. Those who paid $10 for an RFID placard may return the placard for a refund to the town office. Verification of initial purchase will be required. The refund period begins November 1, 2023 and ends May 31, 2024. 

The town will issue an access permit (transfer station static cling) to an authorized transfer station user for each vehicle requiring access to the China transfer station. To obtain an access permit, a yearly fee of $2.00 will be charged per access permit. Access permits are non-transferrable. Beginning January 1, 2024, you must have an access permit for every vehicle that enters the transfer station. Access permits will only be issued to vehicles currently registered in China with limited exceptions. Camp and seasonal property owners must obtain an access permit for each vehicle entering the transfer station. Only municipal solid waste, brush or demolition generated at the China location will be accepted. Camp and seasonal property owners will be identified by license plate and the last name of the property owner on the access permit. Those China residents who have work vehicles registered to a company who want access to the transfer station must prove they are current residents of the town to be issued an access permit. Rental vehicles may obtain a temporary pass at no cost for the duration of the rental for entry. Other non-registration users will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

**Please remember that metal and waste oil can be brought to the transfer station at any time, for no fee, during regular business hours.

Brush under 12" in diameter is acceptable. We do not accept stumps. 

Compost is available at no charge.

Recycling saves tax dollars!

China residents are allowed (2) 5 gallon buckets of sand per storm. The sand bin is located at the transfer station to the right as you pull in.

Palermo residents MUST get their sand from the Palermo sand/salt shed, located on the North Palermo Road in Palermo.

Director of Public Services:

Shawn Reed -  shawn@chinamaine.org

Transfer Station Attendants:

• Joshua Watson - jwatson@chinamaine.org

• Thomas Maraggio - tmaraggio@chinamaine.org

• Cheyenne Houle (Cj) - choule@chinamaine.org

• Timothy Hatch - thatch@chinamaine.org

• Thermostat Recycling
• Transfer Station Access Policy- updated 12/4/2023
• China Transfer Station Map
• Solid Waste Agreement with Palermo- updated June 2022
• 2019 Transfer Station Survey Results
• 2011 Transfer Station Survey results

DEMOLITION DEBRIS MUST BE WEIGHED

Any item not kitchen household trash is considered demo and has a disposal fee.

  Please click on below link to view list of fees:

Albion agreement and fee sheet

Transfer Station Committee Members

J. Christopher Baumann
Karen Hatch
James Hines
James Hsiang
Benjamin Weymouth
Tom Maraggio- advisory only
Shawn Reed- advisory only
Robert Kurek- Palermo Representative
Chris Diesch- Palermo Representative

The Recycling Center is located at the China Transfer Station at 191 Alder Park Rd. Upon entering the Transfer Station, you will find the Recycling Center as the first building on your right. China recycles plastics, metal and aluminum cans, glass, newspaper & magazines, and corrugated cardboard. Cereal boxes are NOT cardboard and need to be recycled with mixed paper. Only China and Palermo residents may recycle at the China Transfer Station.

Please see the subsection on the side bar for more information on each product

Paintcare is here!! At the Transfer Station for China residents. Latex, oil based, shellacs, primers, sealers and more are now accepted at the Transfer Station. Product containers must have sealed lids and the original label. We can accept amounts up to 5 gallons at one time. Please see the list of acceptable and non-acceptable items or visit http://www.paintcare.org for more information on the program.

Our Apparel Impact bin is here! Here is a list of acceptable items (also shown in the 2020 Annual Report) 

• All clothing
• All accessories
• All shoes
• Sheets/Blankets

Please take the time to check out our "Free for the Taking" building. If you wish to leave gently used, unwanted items, please stop and see an attendant! 

Looking to volunteer somewhere...contact Karen Hatch and she will gladly add you to the schedule klhatch57@gmail.com. She is always looking for assistance with organizing all the donated items.

Free For the Taking Rules as follows:

• China & Palermo residents only
• Must have placard to enter or use this area
• Please stop and see an attendant before leaving items
• No broken or dirty items
• No car seats
• No electronics
• No encyclopedias
• No light bulbs of any kind
• No mattresses or box springs
• No worn, ripped, or stained furniture
• No chemicals of any kind including pool chemicals and antifreeze
• No food of any kind
• No weapons of any kind including guns and knives
• No underwear, no dirty ripped or stained clothes
• No worn out shoes
• No ACs or refrigerators

When snow falls and winter is upon us, we cannot leave bulky items outside over night for crew safety and plowing hazards. For this reason, bulky items that cannot fit inside the building must be removed and placed in DEMO at the end of the day. We must charge for these bulky items when dropped off at the Free for the Taking Building as insurance for disposal fees. If these fees are not covered by the person dropping the item off, town funds must be used to dispose of the item. Please stop and see an attendant before dropping ANY ITEM off as there may be a fee associated with the item. If any item is taken from the Free for the Taking Building and RETURNED the fee must be paid by the returning party.