In 2019, with Governor Janet Mills’ signature, Maine became the third state in the nation to ban single-use plastic bags. The plastic bag ban came to fruition shortly after the passage of a neighboring bill that made our state the first in the nation to ban polystyrene foam food containers. The bill was a collaborative effort among conservationists, grocers, and retailers who teamed up with Representative Holly Stover (D-Boothbay) to draft a statewide approach for reducing pollution Read More
Success Stories
Maine Bans Disposable Foam Food Containers
On April 30, 2019, Maine became the first state in the nation to ban disposable foam food containers under a bill signed into law by Governor Janet Mills. The law prohibits restaurants, caterers, coffee shops, and grocery stores from using Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) foam containers. One of the top 10 contributors to litter, polystyrene is both a concern for the environment and for human health. The bill was sponsored by Read More
Maine Bottle Bill Expanded to Include “Nips”
In 1976, Maine Senator Edmund Muskie mobilized a staunch anti-littering sentiment that resulted in the passage of Maine’s biggest recycling success story, the Bottle Bill. Fast forward some four decades later and the bill is reaching new heights. In 2017, the House and Senate voted to override Governor LePage’s veto of a bill requiring a five-cent deposit on small liquor bottles—known widely as “nips”—to be added to the Bottle Bill. Roadside litter is Read More
Maine Enacts the Nation’s Strictest Metal Mining Law
Metal mining is one of the most dangerous industrial endeavors. Maine is a particularly risky place to mine because of the high levels of sulfides in metal deposits here and our rainy and snowy weather. Sulfides in metal deposits become sulfuric acid when exposed to air or water. Maine’s wet springs and snowy winters would Read More
Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument
“The Natural Resources Council of Maine worked tirelessly with me to establish the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument. Their persistence, expertise, and willingness to collaborate were instrumental in the establishment of the Monument in 2016. They did an outstanding job of reaching out to communities in the Katahdin region and people across Maine who Read More
Protecting the Moosehead Lake Region
In 2005, Plum Creek, a Seattle-based real estate development corporation, put forth the largest development proposal Maine had ever seen—and that would carve the heart out of one of Maine’s most treasured places, Moosehead Lake, a region loved for its remote ponds, undeveloped shorelines, traditional recreation, stunning mountain vistas, and peace and quiet. Plum Creek’s Read More
Protecting Kids from Toxic Chemicals in Consumer Products
Our nation’s chemical safety policy is seriously broken. The law currently allows chemical manufacturers to use their products in consumer goods without first demonstrating that these chemicals are safe. The toxins can leach out and have been found in Maine homes, air, water, wildlife—and people. These chemicals have been tied to hormonal disruptions, behavioral and Read More
Leading the Way in e-Waste Recycling
In 2003, NRCM took on the task of resolving the developing crisis of discarded and highly toxic electronic waste, or “e-waste.” Maine was not the first state to discover it had an e-waste problem but took the lead in finding a workable solution. “Our investigation showed that e-waste was being stockpiled in people’s homes and Read More
Restoring Maine’s Mightiest River—the Penobscot
For more than 60 years, the Natural Resources Council of Maine has led efforts to protect and restore thousands of miles of Maine’s rivers, for the benefit of people, fish, and wildlife throughout the Gulf of Maine. In 1999, working with the Penobscot Indian Nation and other conservation groups, during three long years of negotiations Read More
