BANGOR DAILY NEWS • May 17, 2021
Shoppers are facing the highest increase in pricing for consumer goods that they’ve seen in the last nine years. Increased prices are the result of rising transportation costs in a high-demand market and continued supply chain disruptions. Increased costs, intensified by inflation, paired with a proposed Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) program is troublesome as we all begin to rebound from one of the most challenging years that our nation and state has ever experienced. No other state in the country has passed an EPR program for packaging. This policy warrants a robust discussion. Mainers need certainty that what they’ll be investing in with their hard-earned dollars will in return increase Maine’s recycling infrastructure and lead to a true reduction in waste. ~ Christine Cummings, Maine Grocers & Food Producers Association