A recent overhaul of Maine’s bottle and can recycling program is breathing new life into redemption centers, including Nickel-Back Redemption Center in Houlton, which has exceeded expectations just seven weeks after opening under new ownership.
Owners Adam Bolz and Amanda Fickle have revitalized the facility on North Street, previously known as Graham Redemption Center, and attribute much of their early success to legislative changes in the state’s recycling program.
These changes increased handling fees, simplified sorting requirements, and provided support for operational costs, such as distributor pick-ups and sorting bags.
“We went from 4.5 cents to 6 cents per item, which is a 20% raise annually,” said Bolz, highlighting how the new laws have made redemption centers more financially sustainable.
Since opening in December, Nickel-Back Redemption has surpassed its initial goal of redeeming 25,000 items weekly.
In its first month, the business redeemed over 115,000 pieces, with January expected to exceed that despite being a traditionally slow period for redemptions.
Bolz and Fickle have also implemented customer-friendly practices, such as extended hours and no limits on bottle drop-offs, which have drawn in more patrons. For customers who don’t pre-count their items, Bolz personally counts them, adding an extra layer of convenience.
The center has undergone a physical transformation as well, with Bolz removing moldy, outdated sorting stations and reorganizing the space to make it cleaner and more efficient. “Redemption centers have a reputation for being messy and smelly. We wanted to change that,” Bolz said.
The legislative updates have also streamlined operations significantly. Redemption centers now sort into just 45 bins instead of the previous 160, with further reductions expected in July through co-mingling agreements with major distributors.
Bolz and Fickle, originally from Ohio, moved to Haynesville four years ago and were unfamiliar with Maine’s redemption system. However, their entrepreneurial spirit led them to see the business’s potential.
Recently, the couple received a $5,000 microeconomic grant from the Southern Aroostook Development Corporation, which they plan to use for signage, paint, and an outdoor drop-off cage to enhance customer experience.
“We’re excited to keep improving and growing the business,” Fickle said. “It’s all about the little details and seeing the positive reactions from our customers.”
The revamped state program has not only made their success possible but also set a new standard for how redemption centers can thrive in Maine.
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