BIDDEFORD — It was nearly three months ago, on July 1, that Biddeford’s curbside recycling pick-up program first began.

When creating the ordinances regulating the program, city officials decided to ease residents into it by building in a 90-day grace period or “learning curve,” said Public Works Director Guy Casavant.

During that period, those who didn’t follow the rules regarding the program would only be given warnings about their infractions, with the hope that they would correct their ways.

But on Oct. 1, warnings will give way to fines being issued by the code enforcement office.

On that date, those who have already received violation notices will be issued a fine starting at $100, stated Code Enforcement Officer Roby Fecteau, in an email.

There is no appeal process, he said.

Under the recycling program, most residents were issued a 65-gallon recycling container and 35-gallon trash container.

Some apartment tenants must used specifically designated orange trash bags for their waste, which also applies to overflow trash. Casavant said non-use of those bags is the most common violation by participants in the program.

The public works department has set up a database, which it shares with the code enforcement office, of what violations are occurring and where they are occurring.

Since July 22, stated Fecteau, his office has issued more than 900 violation warning letters to property owners, to date.

The good news, he wrote, is “the numbers are down and we don’t have a lot of repeat offenders.”

“The trend is going in the right direction,” said chairman of the solid waste management commission Paul Therrien.

Overall, he said, he is very pleased with “how well the program has been received.”

Casavant said while 900 violations may seem like a lot, that is a very small percent of the 9,000 properties included in the program over an approximately 10-week time period.

Solid waste management commission member Bernard Neveux noted that the city has exceeded the goal set by the city council to increase the recycling rate to 30 percent.

In addition, said Casavant, the volume of trash is down so far.

There has been a waste reduction of 38 percent, he said, from 1,225 tons from the same point last year, to 755 tons this year.

Because of that, there could be some costs savings over the projected cost, said Casavant.

The less trash disposed of, the lower is the cost to the city.

In addition, said Casavant, his department budgeted that trash trucks would make two daily trips to the facility in Westbrook where the public works staff members dispose of the waste.

However, so far they have only had to make one trip per day, which would halve the $60,000 budgeted for transportation if the trend continues.

“This program is clearly working,” said Neveux.

— Staff Writer Dina Mendros can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 324 or dmendros@journaltribune.com.