Maine

Maine Materials Management Plan 2021 (download pdf)

Find out more from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).

State legislatures have enacted laws to govern the management of solid waste within each state’s jurisdiction.

Title 38 Chapter 13 Waste Management

LD175  An Act to Increase the Use of Municipal Waste-to-energy Processes as a Source of Renewable Energy

Failed.

This bill amends the solid waste management hierarchy to add the incineration of waste to generate electricity to the State’s solid waste management priorities. The bill also amends the definition of “renewable capacity resource” in the renewable resource laws to include a source of electrical generation that relies on generators fueled by municipal solid waste in conjunction with recycling.

LD437 An Act to Eliminate the Repeal Provision on Waste-to-energy Renewable Energy Credits

Failed.

This bill eliminates the January 1, 2025 repeal date on the Maine Revised Statutes, 11 Title 35-A, section 3210, subsection 3, paragraph A, a provision of law that applies a 300% multiplier to the output of a generator fueled by municipal solid waste.

LD425 An Act to Lower the Environmental Impact of Consumers, Increase Food Safety and Strengthen Consumer Choice by Ending the Ban on Single-use Plastic Shopping Bags

Failed.

This bill repeals the law restricting the use of single-use carry-out plastic bags by retail stores and instead allows a retailer to use plastic bags to bag products at the point of retail sale if the retailer locates inside the store or within 20 feet of the main entrance to the store a receptacle for collecting any used plastic bags and ensures that the plastic bags collected are recycled or delivered to a person engaged in recycling plastics. It also stipulates that a retailer may provide customers with plastic bags, paper bags or reusable bags at the point of retail sale and may allow customers to use their own reusable bags at the point of retail sale.

LD295 An Act Regarding Plastic Pollution

Carried over.

This bill is a concept draft pursuant to Joint Rule 208. This bill would address plastic pollution in the State.

LD134 An Act to Increase the Handling Fee for Beverage Containers Reimbursed to Dealers and Redemption Centers

Passed, enacted. Chapter 48 Public Law.

This bill increases the reimbursement to a dealer or redemption center for the cost of handling beverage containers by 1/2¢ to 5¢ beginning January 1, 2024.

LD28 An Act to Streamline Rulemaking for Revisions to Screening Levels for the Solid Waste Beneficial Use Program

Passed, enacted. Chapter 57 Public Law.

This bill provides that rules of the Board of Environmental Protection relating to the beneficial use of solid waste are major substantive rules, except for certain rules amending screening levels for beneficial use, which the bill specifies are routine technical rules.

LD466 An Act to Develop and Enforce Mandatory Recycling of All Solar and Wind Projects

Passed, enacted. Chapter 52 Resolves.

This bill is a concept draft pursuant to Joint Rule 208. This bill would require the development and implementation of a mandatory program to recycle material from solar and wind power projects.

State environmental agencies have adopted rules to establish standards and procedures for managing solid waste. Here is the link to explore or download the state’s administrative rules on a vast array of solid waste topics.