The future of the free leaf and brush disposal site the town of Windham runs is in jeopardy, as the Maine Department of Environmental Protection considers it an unlicensed transfer station.

Randy McMullin, environmental specialist with the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, was driving down Windham Center Road recently when he laid eyes on the giant pile of yard waste.

“I said, ‘uh, they don’t have a license for that,'” he said.

McMullin is not threatening any fines and the leaf and brush pile is still in operation, but he said the town will need to get the proper paperwork approved if they want to continue to allow residents to drop off tree limbs and fallen leaves.

Town Council Chairman John MacKinnon said Wednesday that the town does not expect to go through the application process because of the high cost and will probably shut down the leaf and brush pile. He said Town Manager Tony Plante is currently searching his records to see if the town has some sort of written permission to operate the brush pile.

“Environmentally, it’s not a huge deal, but a license is required,” said McMullin. “There’s nothing hazardous, and there’s someone there all the time.” He said improper waste, like painted wood, was not in the pile when he looked.

McMullin did say the proximity of the leaf and brush pile to a residence may cause some problems with the licensing, as transfer stations need to be at least 500 feet from the nearest house.

A transfer station is like a dump, only the waste material is trucked off to another location instead of being buried there.

Plante said he doesn’t know exactly how long Windham has run the leaf and brush pile, but estimates it at 15 to 20 years. He said town leaders were surprised when they heard the leaf and brush pile was considered a transfer station.

“It could be a very expensive proposition just to get the application in,” said Public Works Director Douglas Fortier. He said the engineering costs to apply for the license are estimated to be between $10,000 and $20,000. He also said there is a fair chance the license could be turned down if the town applied for it.

LeafandBrush1-3: (From left) Scott Hedgecomb and Dave Hedgecomb unload a trailer full of forest waste at the leaf and brush pile in Windham. “Spring is a cleanup time, it comes in handy to bring it here without having to burn it,” Scott Hedgecomb said. The Maine Department of Environmental Protection told the town it needs to get a transfer station license if it wants to stay open.LeafandBrush1-3: (From left) Scott Hedgecomb and Dave Hedgecomb unload a trailer full of forest waste at the leaf and brush pile in Windham. “Spring is a cleanup time, it comes in handy to bring it here without having to burn it,” Scott Hedgecomb said. The Maine Department of Environmental Protection told the town it needs to get a transfer station license if it wants to stay open.LeafandBrush1-3: (From left) Scott Hedgecomb and Dave Hedgecomb unload a trailer full of forest waste at the leaf and brush pile in Windham. “Spring is a cleanup time, it comes in handy to bring it here without having to burn it,” Scott Hedgecomb said. The Maine Department of Environmental Protection told the town it needs to get a transfer station license if it wants to stay open.