Mar 26 - ME - Maine Passes First Product Stewardship Framework Law in the Nation

Maine has passed a new product stewardship law requiring manufacturers of certain products to share in the responsibility of the disposal or recycling of their end-of-life products. HP 1159 is intended the shift the fiscal and physical burden of dealing with hard-to-recycle products away from local communities and toward producers, consumers and others who benefit from products sold and used.

HP 1159 by representative Melissa Walsh Innes was enacted on March 11.  Governor John E. Baldacci signed the "Provide Leadership Regarding the Responsible Recycling of Consumer Products" Act on March 11. 

Under this law, producers are required to file and implement product stewardship plans, detailing  the collection, transportation, reuse and recycling or disposal of their end-of-life products.

A state agency has been given authority to determine which product categories will fall under the new law.

Previously, there have been producer responsbility laws passed on specific products. This is the first Framework law passed in the nation.

Read the law.