LIVERMORE FALLS ADVERTISER • April 13, 2026
The Maine Legislature is considering LD 2141, which would redirect about $4 million annually from unclaimed bottle deposits toward environmental and related programs, including farmland protection and lake restoration. An estimated $16 million in unclaimed bottle deposits sits in Maine’s redemption system every year. Under current law, the bulk of that money flows back to beverage distributors. Supporters argue unclaimed deposits are effectively a windfall for the industry. Opponents, including some in the redemption business, say any diversion of funds misses the more urgent problem: the handling fee paid to redemption centers has not kept pace with the cost of running one.