April 15 ends the era of foam packaging and free disposable bags NRCM news release Today, Portland city officials, residents, conservationists, store managers, and sustainability experts gathered at Portland City Hall to bring attention to the City’s two new anti-waste initiatives that begin April 15, 2015: a ban on foam packaging and a 5-cent fee Read More
sustainability
Maine Lawmakers Hear Opposing Arguments on Bills to Charge for Disposable Bags
Supporters of three similar proposals say they reduce waste and pollution, while opponents say they add a burden on consumers and retailers. By Kevin Miller, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald news story AUGUSTA — Lawmakers heard lengthy testimony Monday on bills that would make Maine the latest state to charge consumers for disposable plastic bags. Read More
Maine Lawmakers Considering Plastic Bag Controls
By Mal Leary MPBN news story AUGUSTA, Maine – Lawmakers are considering several bills that would discourage consumers from using plastic bags provided by retailers. Among the ideas is charging a fee for the bags. Rep. Mick Devin, a Newcastle Democrat, is sponsoring one of the bills, which would impose a five-cent fee per plastic Read More
Portland Food Retailers Gear Up for 5-Cent Plastic Bag Fee
By Tom Porter MPBN news story AUGUSTA, Maine – Maine lawmakers are considering several bills that would discourage the use of plastic bags by retailers, including one that would impose a fee for their use. Meanwhile, food retailers in Portland are gearing up for an ordinance also designed to limit the use of plastic bags. Read More
Lamey-Wellehan President Jim Wellehan Creates a Legacy of Advocacy and Fairness
by Dylan Martin MaineBiz news story Ask Jim Wellehan what it means to be a business leader, and for his initial response, you likely won’t hear him mention Lamey-Wellehan, his 100-year-old, Auburn-based family retail shoe business. Instead, he’ll bring up a word that means a great deal to him: community. “I love my community. I Read More
NRCM Testimony on Three Single-use Plastic Disposable Bag Bills
NRCM Testimony Regarding: An Act To Strengthen Recycling of Single-use Plastic Shopping Bags (LD 325); An Act To Encourage the Use of Alternatives to Single-use Plastic Disposable Bags (LD 396); and An Act To Reduce Waste from Disposable Bags (LD 680) Senator Saviello, Representative Welsh, and members of the Joint Standing Committee on Environment and Read More
Portland Set to Carry Out Disposable-bag Fees, Polystyrene Foam Ban
Grocers and other businesses get prepared, with two ‘green packaging’ policies passed by city councilors last June scheduled to take effect April 15. By Eric Russell and Kevin Miller, Staff Writers Portland Press Herald news story Portland businesses are phasing out foam containers and gearing up to charge customers a nickel for disposable shopping bags Read More
Maine House Overwhelmingly Backs Banning Microbeads
The tiny plastic pellets are in many personal care products but they are not biodegradable and they pass through wastewater treatment filters. By Kevin Miller, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald news story AUGUSTA – The Maine House voted overwhelmingly Tuesday in support of a bill that would ban the sale of soap, toothpaste and other Read More
Support of LD 468, An Act to Prohibit the Use of Certain Disposable or Polystyrene Food Service Containers
Senator Saviello, Representative Welsh, and members of the Joint Standing Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, my name is Sarah Lakeman and I am the Sustainable Maine Project Director for the Natural Resources Council of Maine. I appreciate this opportunity to testify on LD 468. NRCM believes that a strong case can be made for Read More