For decades, Mainers have paid a deposit when buying bottled products and reclaimed the fee upon returning the empty bottles. In doing so, they have participated in an “extended producer responsibility” (EPR) program, a form of sustainability that involves manufacturers and suppliers in managing their goods’ post-use fate. After examining EPR laws for hazardous products in our last column, this week, we’ll consider similar legislation meant to conserve natural resources and reduce solid waste.
Maine’s “Bottle Bill,” enacted in 1976, reduces litter and cuts waste by promoting reuse and recycling. Consumers pay a 5-cent or 15-cent refundable deposit on each glass, metal or plastic beverage container (with some exceptions) at the point of purchase and may redeem their deposits at a state-licensed redemption center or one of CLYNK’s Hannaford facilities. Updated in 2023, the law now promotes the use of reusable and refillable containers, and in 2026, will require that plastic beverage containers contain at least 25% post-consumer recycled plastic.
Maine’s EPR-for-packaging legislation became law in summer 2021. After a years-long period of outreach, public comment and revision of proposed rules, late 2024 saw adoption of the final rules. Looking ahead, a stewardship organization to operate the program is due to be contracted by April 2026, with implementation expected to begin before the end of 2026. The law’s success depends on producers’ response to monetary incentives and municipalities’ participation in the voluntary program.
Producers will pay into a fund based on the amount and recyclability of the packaging material they use to contain or distribute products in Maine: The greater the volume and environmental impact, the higher the payment. For example, flexible plastic would cost a producer more than paper. The expectation is that producers will adapt by using less packaging that is more eco-friendly in order to save money. Payouts from the fund will (a) reimburse communities for their recycling and waste management costs, thus facilitating the reallocation of taxpayer dollars; (b) underwrite improvements to packaging-related infrastructure; and (c) support educating Mainers about recycling.
Nearly half a century ago, Maine passed a Bottle Bill that conserves resources, saves landfill space and fosters a clean environment. If the state’s EPR law for packaging is similarly successful, we can look forward to an analogous result: less will be more!
David Conwell belongs to the nationwide advocacy organization Citizens’ Climate Lobby and is a former member of Brunswick’s Sustainability Committee.