Protect Maine's EPR Bill

Our Surfrider Foundation Maine Chapter strongly opposes the passage of LD 1423. 

In April, the chapter's Climate Action and Policy chair, Mariel Geiger, testified at the statehouse in opposition to the bill. 

LD 1423 narrows the scope of the state's EPR law by expanding exemptions for certain types of packaging, including packaging used for medical, hazardous, or industrial products, and others. Reducing the range of packaging covered under the program will weaken its overall impact and shift power away from the DEP. 

Why is EPR important? 

This initiative in the United States shifts the financial burden of recycling packaging waste from taxpayers to the producers themselves. It mandates that companies producing packaging materials contribute to the costs associated with the collection, recycling, and disposal of their products' packaging. Maine's EPR law serves as a model for other states considering similar legislation. By holding producers accountable for the end-of-life management of their packaging, the law aims to reduce environmental pollution, encourage sustainable packaging design, and alleviate the financial burden on local governments. This is why it needs to be protected. 

For more info, please email climate@maine.surfrider.org.