MAINE PUBLIC • February 11, 2026
With every recyclable bottle of beverage purchased in Maine, consumers pay a bottle deposit of 5 or 15 cents. But not all of those deposits are being claimed. According to industry experts, the current rate of redemption is about 75%, which leaves $10 million-$16 million of unclaimed deposits annually. Now, the Maine Legislature is considering a bill that would dedicate $4 million annually from unclaimed bottle deposits to protecting Maine lakes and farmland: $2 million in unredeemed deposits to the Lake Water Quality Restoration and Protection Fund, and another $2 million to the Maine Working Farmland Access and Protection Program. Proponents of the bill argue that current funding to protect farmland and fight against algal blooms in Maine lakes is not enough. But opponents, including beverage distributors, say the bottle deposit money is needed to help meet the recycling requirements of the state's existing bottle bill.