PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • March 30, 2026
With 16 miles of coastline, the city of South Portland has a dedicated interest in protecting our waterways from microplastics that are harmful to our ecosystems and ourselves. Single-use plastics are everywhere. However, the University of Maine’s inaugural reusables pilot program offers a feasible alternative. Researchers at UMaine partnered with the volunteer coalition Reuse Maine and three coastal communities — Bar Harbor, Bath, and South Portland — to pilot a reusable food and beverage takeout packaging program. The goal is to explore the potential of reusable takeout packaging to reduce waste, prevent plastic pollution, and save money on the purchase and disposal costs of single-use packaging. You can learn more at umaine.edu/reuseme. Customers at six participating establishments can now check out a reusable container by downloading the Recirclable app and return the containers to any participating establishment.