2026 marks the start of implementation for Maine’s EPR for packaging law: legislation to help offset municipalities’ recycling costs and incentivize more sustainable packaging.
Find out what it means for your community.
What is EPR for Packaging?
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is a policy approach that assigns manufacturers and brand owners greater responsibility for the entire lifecycle of their product packaging. EPR helps shift recycling costs toward producers, reducing the burden on consumers and municipalities. This policy approach isn’t new: the first EPR law to go into effect in Maine was the Bottle Bill in 1978, which was originally put in place to discourage littering and boost recycling rates across the state. In addition to the Bottle Bill, EPR laws in Maine exist for rechargeable batteries, mercury containing devices (bulbs, thermostats, switches/relays), electronics, paint, and pharmaceutical drugs.
Download our EPR Guide for Maine Municipalities Here
Benefits for Maine municipalities:
- Lowers the burden for taxpayers.
- Reimbursements provide towns with relief for the cost of recycling.
- Increased access to recycling.
- This support can help communities improve recycling infrastructure.
Benefits for all consumers:
- Incentivizes packaging innovation.
- Producers will benefit from reducing unnecessary packaging and leveraging more readily recyclable materials.
- Restore consumer choice.
- More producers opting for lower-waste packaging means more sustainable options on the shelves.
How does the Program Work?
PEOPLE RECYCLE
Methods of recycling don’t change under EPR - residents should continue to recycle as they normally do.
COMMUNITIES REPORT
Municipalities record expenses related to recycling and report to the Stewardship Organization (S.O.).
REIMBURSEMENTS ISSUED
Beginning in the fall of 2027, participating municipalities will receive reimbursement for eligible recycling costs at a rate determined by the Stewardship Organization (S.O.).
Participating in EPR: Guidance for Municipalities
To participate in Maine’s EPR for Packaging program, a municipality must accept for recycling at least one of the designated readily recyclable materials, and must submit annual reporting on their recycling tonnage and costs.
The Stewardship Organization (S.O.) will conduct studies to determine reimbursement rates. The median cost per ton of managing eligible packaging will be determined based on groupings of similar municipalities (defined by location and population).
Anticipated Program Dates
| Milestone | Anticipated Date |
|---|---|
| Municipalities begin recording eligible expenses | JANUARY 2026 |
| Maine DEP selects a Stewardship Organization (S.O.) *Once selected, the S.O. will provide participating municipalities with tools, guidance, and detailed reporting requirements. | SPRING 2026 |
| First municipal annual reporting due | SPRING 2027 |
| First reimbursements issued | FALL 2027 |
Cost Reporting: How Municipalities Can Prepare
While awaiting detailed reporting guidance from the S.O., municipalities should ensure that they are recording all recycling-related expenses in detail.
>> KEY RESOURCE: Download a preliminary checklist of costs to record developed by the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM).
Reportable Expenses May Include
- Labor
- Tipping & Hauling Fees
- Equipment
- Storage & Structures
- Energy Costs
- Recycling Education & Outreach
Only recycling-related expenses will be eligible for reimbursements. Municipalities should be prepared to account in detail for proportions of shared expenses that are related to recycling.
Other Resources on EPR
- Natural Resources Council of Maine – Maine’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for Packaging initiative, championed by the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM), is a first-in-the-nation law that shifts the cost of recycling wasteful packaging from taxpayers to the companies that produce it.
- Maine DEP – The Maine DEP discusses Maine’s packaging stewardship program, established by a 2021 law, which requires producers to pay fees based on the amount and recyclability of the packaging they use. The goal is to reduce waste and toxicity and increase recyclability by funding municipal recycling costs, improving infrastructure, and educating residents.
- Maine DEP Stewardship Program for Packaging Rules – Read the comprehensive guide put together by the Maine DEP which lays out the rules & provides details for implementing the Stewardship Program for Packaging here in Maine.
- MRRA EPR Webinar: Part 1 – The Maine Resource Recovery Association hosts a webinar led by Vanessa Berry, NRCM’s Sustainable Maine Program Manager, discussing Maine’s Product Stewardship Program for Packaging.
