Senator Saviello, Representative Tucker, and members of the Environment and Natural Resources Committee. My name is Pete Didisheim, I am the Advocacy Director for the Natural Resources Council of Maine, and I appreciate this opportunity to testify on the three bills before the Committee that would create product stewardship programs for carpets (LD 375), mattresses Read More
Recycling and Product Stewardship
Maine has long championed Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) or "product stewardship" laws because they have proven effective at saving taxpayers money, reducing waste, and protecting our environment. Traditional recycling programs are run and funded by municipal governments. EPR programs shift the costs of dealing with difficult and dangerous items to the corporations and manufacturers who make and sell their products in Maine.
Bill to Apply 15-cent Deposit to Mini Liquor Bottles Advances
Supporters say the number of ‘nips’ showing up in roadside ditches or tossed on front lawns is increasing with the popularity of the 50-milliliter bottles. By Kevin Miller, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald news story AUGUSTA — Miniature liquor bottles would be subject to Maine’s 15-cent bottle deposit next year under a bill endorsed by Read More
Support of LD 56, An Act to Include 50 Milliliter and Smaller Liquor Bottles in the Laws Governing Returnable Containers
Senator Saviello, Representative Tucker, and members of the Joint Standing Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, my name is Ryan Parker and I am the Environmental Policy Outreach Coordinator for the Natural Resources Council of Maine. I appreciate this opportunity to testify in support of LD 56. Maine’s Bottle Redemption Program, often described as “the Read More
Girl Scouts, NRCM Team Up to Promote New Way to Safely Recycle Paint in Maine
Unveil new “Sustainable ME” Girl Scout Patch News Release Today, the Girl Scouts of Maine and the Natural Resources Council of Maine announced and unveiled a new program— the first ever “Sustainable Maine” patch—to be earned by Girl Scouts who take personal actions toward a more sustainable future. This year’s goal is for Girl Scouts Read More
Reuse—Recycle— Remember
My dad, Clarence E. Gray, lived in Maine from the time he was a teenager and had to drop out of school and go to work in the Westbrook paper mill to help support his family. Later he was drafted into WWII, and before shipping out, worked in the shipyard in South Portland. He had Read More
Bag Free, Plastic Foam Ban Take Effect Tuesday in South Portland
The City Council approved the ordinances unanimously last September. By Kelley Bouchard, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald news story SOUTH PORTLAND — Two new ordinances take effect Tuesday, imposing a ban on plastic foam food containers and a 5-cent fee on all single-use paper or plastic shopping bags. The City Council approved the ordinances unanimously Read More
Will a Ban on Food in Landfills Finally Spur Maine to Boost Recycling?
by Christopher Burns, BDN staff Bangor Daily News news story Maine needs to decide what it’s going to do about the food in its waste stream. Food and other organics comprise 43 percent of Maine’s residential waste, more than paper, plastic, glass and metal. Yet, only about 5 percent of organics are composted, leaving much Read More
Maine Lawmakers Hear Mixed Testimony on Composting, Recycling Bill
A committee considers one of the most significant updates of Maine’s solid waste management laws, a plan to divert more waste from landfills into recycling or composting programs. By Kevin Miller, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald news story AUGUSTA — Cities and towns could have to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in additional fees Read More
Why Fiberight Would Take Maine in Wrong Direction on Waste
By Sarah Lakeman, Special to the BDN Bangor Daily News op-ed As we head into 2016, many Mainers are talking about trash. State lawmakers are discussing a bill to move Maine closer to our goal of recycling 50 percent of our solid waste. Communities are exploring ways to recover food waste, increase composting and reduce Read More
