By Lauren Abbate, BDN Staff Bangor Daily News news story A ban on single-use plastic bags and polystyrene foam containers approved by Rockland officials earlier this year will take effect at the start of the new year. A similar ban will also take effect in April for Camden residents. The Rockland City Council approved the Read More
Plastic Pollution
NRCM is working hard to bring plastic pollution solutions to Maine. Together, we can reduce Maine’s impact on this catastrophic global problem and provide inspiration for others around the world.
Plastic pollution in Maine is a more devastating problem than you may think. Plastic is present throughout the environment everywhere on earth. Maine is no exception. Plastic is polluting our waterways, coastlines, forests, and open spaces, choking wildlife, and making its way into the food web.
The sources of plastic pollution in Maine are unnervingly diverse, and the flow of plastic into the environment is showing no signs of slowing down. In fact, it is increasing. The amount of plastic litter we can see is astounding, but even more worrisome is the staggering amount of plastic pollution we cannot see—so-called microplastic. A growing body of evidence is revealing plastic pollution’s devastating impact on our health and the environment.
MDI Town Latest Maine Municipality to Ban Plastic Shopping Bags
By Bill Trotter, BDN Staff Bangor Daily News news story Southwest Harbor is the latest town in Maine to adopt a ban on the distribution of single-use plastic bags by local retailers. The Mount Desert Island town held a special town meeting on Tuesday, a week after the statewide midterm elections, to consider whether to Read More
Waterville Approves Plastic Bag Ban by Fewer than 150 Votes
The City Council had overriden Mayor Nick Isgro’s veto of its vote to let voters decide whether to ban plastic bags, a proposal initiated by the Sustain Mid-Maine Coalition. by Amy Calder, Staff Writer Central Maine Newspapers news story WATERVILLE — Voters on Tuesday approved a proposal to prohibit larger retail and commercial businesses from dispensing Read More
York Starts Down Path Toward Possible Polystyrene Ban
By Deborah McDermott, The York Weekly Bangor Daily News news story YORK, Maine — On the third year anniversary of passage of the town’s plastic ban ordinance, the York Board of Selectmen Monday night unanimously agreed to begin the process that could end in the ban of yet another type of plastic from use in Read More
Natural Resources Council of Maine Supports Bag and Polystyrene Bans
Camden Herald op-ed For decades, the Natural Resources Council of Maine has been working with communities and lawmakers to reduce plastic waste and pollution in our environment. Nov. 6, Camden voters will consider two town ordinances we wholeheartedly support: one would ban single-use plastic bags (placing a 10-cent fee on single-use paper bags at year-round Read More
Waterville Council to Consider Overriding Mayor’s Veto on Plastic Bag Referendum
by Amy Calder, Staff Writer Central Maine Newspapers news story WATERVILLE — At least three out of six city councilors say they will vote Tuesday to override Mayor Nick Isgro’s veto of a vote the council took earlier this month to place on the November ballot a request to enact a plastic bag ordinance that Read More
Plastic Waste is Everywhere. Here are Some Ideas for Mainers to Reduce Their Use of It.
By Abigail Curtis, BDN Staff Bangor Daily News news story Shlomit Auciello of Rockland hasn’t bought plastic wrap, or new Tupperware-style plastic containers, in decades. She avoids using microfiber fleece and washes plastic bags to reuse them again and again. She knows that makes her a bit quirky by modern American standards, but she hopes Read More
Camden Considering Ban on Single-Use Plastic Bags
Select Board to hold public hearing August 21 by Brian P. D. Hannon Free Press news story The Camden Board of Selectmen voted August 7 to hold a public hearing on two container proposals with potential environmental impact. The hearing will be held during the board’s next regular meeting, on Tuesday, August 21, starting at Read More
Food Businesses Trending Away from Single-use Plastic Items
by Laurie Schreiber Mainebiz news story Increasing numbers of Maine food businesses and lodgings are putting themselves in the forefront of national and international trends to switch out from petroleum-based items like straws, to-go containers and disposable cups and plates, to eco-friendly compostable versions. The Migis Hotel Group switched from plastic drinking straws to paper Read More
