Dick Perkins tosses a can into a recycling bin on Friday at the Winthrop Transfer Station.

A glass recycling bin at the Winthrop Transfer Station on Friday.

Dick Perkins tosses a bag of garbage Friday at the Winthrop transfer station. Winthrop is one of the towns that is grappling with where to dispose of its trash as the end of its agreement with the Penobscot Energy Recovery Co. ends in 2018.

Irving Doughty tosses a trash bag on Friday at the Winthrop Transfer Station.

Cars line up on Friday at the Winthrop Transfer Station.

Town residents discard trash Friday at the Winthrop transfer station.

Waterville Public Works Department employees Larry Colson, front, and Brian Ames pick up trash in 2014. The city is considering alternatives to solid waste removal.

Waterville Public Works employees Brian Ames, left, and Larry Colson watch as a city garbage truck drops a load off at the Oakland transfer station in 2014. Waterville has some tough decisions to make about where to take its trash as the end of a contract with the Penobscot Energy Recovery Co. looms.

Garbage disposal contracts with the Penobscot Energy Recovery Co. in Orrington run out in two years, and area municipalities have to make some tough decisions on where they’re going to dispose of garbage.