But critics contend that even the watered-down bill is unnecessary because municipalities can already adopt ordinances regulating plastic bags. by Kevin Miller, staff writer Portland Press Herald news story AUGUSTA — House lawmakers passed a bill Thursday that aims to decrease the use of disposable plastic bags and foam food containers but that opponents dismissed Read More
sustainability
Support of LD 931, An Act To Create EPR for Post-consumer Waste Generated from the Use of Tobacco Products
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 931 with the amended language introduced by Representative Blume. Read More
Town Bans Single-use Plastic Bags
Brunswick Town Council conducts vote on Monday by Juliette Laaka, Times Record Staff Times Record news story The Brunswick Town Council voted Monday to ban single-use plastic bags, with the measure set to be enacted Sept. 1. All councilors barring John Perreault were in favor of the ordinance, proposed by Councilors Steve Walker and Kathy Read More
Downsizing Maine’s Bottle Redemption Program Would Be a Recycling Disaster
By The BDN Editorial Board Bangor Daily News editorial Two years ago, Maine lawmakers were asked to scale back the state’s nearly four-decade-old beverage bottle redemption program. Wisely, they chose not to. This year in the Maine Legislature, lawmakers face the same choice. LD 683 proposes to remove containers 46 ounces and larger from the Read More
Opposition to LD 683, An Act to Fund the Maine Solid Waste Diversion Grant Program and To Phase Out Certain Containers from the Bottle Redemption Laws
Senator Saviello, Representative Tucker, and members of the Joint Standing Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, my name is Pete Didisheim, I am the Advocacy Director for the Natural Resources Council of Maine. I appreciate this opportunity to testify in opposition to LD 683, An Act to Fund the Maine Solid Waste Diversion Grant Program Read More
Your Takeout Order Could be Harming the Environment. Bangor is Considering a Way to Fix It
By Danielle McLean, Staff Writer Bangor Daily News news story In an effort to reduce the volume of plastic littering, Bangor city councilors are mulling a proposed law banning local merchants from selling food and drinks in Styrofoam cups or containers. If passed, Bangor would join Portland, South Portland and Brunswick in banning polystyrene, the Read More
NRCM Testimony on LD 349, LD 375, and LD 385, Bills to Establish Product Stewardship Programs for Mattresses, Carpets, and Rechargeable Batteries
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
Support of LD 103, An Act To Prohibit the Use of Certain Disposable Food Service 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 103. Thanks to leadership by members of this Committee, Read More
Neither For Nor Against LD 57, An Act to Phase Out the Use of Single-use Plastic Shopping Bags
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 Neither For Nor Against LD 57. The problems created by single-use disposable bags Read More
