MAINE PUBLIC • June 8, 2021
Recycling rates in Maine and other states have dropped in recent years, while costs to municipalities and local taxpayers have gone up. A proposal before the Maine Legislature aims to change that by charging manufacturers of packaging fees for non-recyclable materials and sending a portion of that revenue to municipalities to finance waste disposal and recycling programs. Business groups say it's a bad idea and argue that the bill will lead to higher costs of products and groceries. On Tuesday the Maine State Chamber of Commerce and the Retail Association of Maine highlighted a study from York University in Ontario to back their case that charging producers for packaging will increase the cost of goods. But Rep. Nicole Grohoski, lead sponsor of the EPR bill, says the study is misleading because it misrepresents key components of the Maine bill. Sara Nichols, of the Natural Resources Council of Maine, says the study also relies on bad math.