Materials covered
- Plastic, glass, metal, paper, and multi-material packaging
- Cosmetic primary and secondary packaging
- Shipping and e-commerce packaging
Packaging EPRME
Maine packaging producer responsibility
LD 1541 — An Act To Support and Improve Municipal Recycling Programs and Save Taxpayer Money (2021)
Maine's Stewardship Program for Packaging (LD 1541, signed 2021) was the first US packaging EPR law. Producers of covered packaging pay fees to a state-contracted stewardship organization, which reimburses municipalities for waste management costs. Fees are differentiated by material recyclability, incentivizing easier-to-recycle packaging.
Last updated:
- Producer Responsibility Organization
- Maine Stewardship Program — Stewardship Organization (selection in progress)
Who is a producer in Maine?
The brand whose name is on the product, or the licensee/manufacturer if no brand owner is established in the US. Producers under $2M in annual gross revenue or under 1 ton of packaging are exempt.
Producer obligations
- Register with the stewardship organization once designated
- Report packaging tonnage by material annually
- Pay fees differentiated by material type and recyclability
- Cover municipal recycling and disposal costs through fees
Compliance timeline
- Active
Statute signed
Maine became the first US state to enact a packaging EPR program.
- Pending
Stewardship organization operational
Rulemaking completed and stewardship organization selected; producer registration begins.
- Pending
Producer payments begin
First producer fees flow to municipal recycling programs.
How Cosmetica helps
Cosmetica coverage for Maine
Maine DEP rulemaking tracker, packaging supply reporting templates, and fee estimates against the published draft fee schedule.
Primary sources
EPR statutes and rules are evolving. Verify the latest dates, fee schedules, and de minimis thresholds with the state agency before relying on this summary for compliance decisions.