We are all familiar with the challenges of using plastic cutlery. These utensils notoriously fail at the only task they are made for: cutting and picking up food. In addition, they create a lot of single-use trash, are not recyclable, and there are reusable options. In recent years, schools have brought plastic cutlery into lunchrooms. Read More
polystyrene
York Starts Down Path Toward Possible Polystyrene Ban
By Deborah McDermott, The York Weekly Bangor Daily News news story YORK, Maine — On the third year anniversary of passage of the town’s plastic ban ordinance, the York Board of Selectmen Monday night unanimously agreed to begin the process that could end in the ban of yet another type of plastic from use in Read More
Natural Resources Council of Maine Supports Bag and Polystyrene Bans
By Christine Adamowicz Camden Herald op-ed For decades, the Natural Resources Council of Maine has been working with communities and lawmakers to reduce plastic waste and pollution in our environment. Nov. 6, Camden voters will consider two town ordinances we wholeheartedly support: one would ban single-use plastic bags (placing a 10-cent fee on single-use paper Read More
No Styrofoam
Styrofoam cannot be recycled and is difficult to compress, so it takes up a lot of landfill…
Bath Council Backs Ban on Plastic Bags, Foam Containers
By Alex Lear Forecaster news story BATH — The City Council on Wednesday granted unanimous first passage to ordinances that would ban the distribution of disposable plastic shopping bags and polystyrene containers. The panel will vote a second and final time Nov. 1. The decision follows two “Bring Your Own Bag” forums hosted last month Read More
Bath to Present Plastic Bag Ban
by Nathan Strout Times Record news story After months of work, the Bath Solid Waste Advisory Committee is preparing to present an ordinance banning single-use plastic bags and polystyrene containers, while also putting fees on paper bags. “The Solid Waste Advisory Committee has been meeting since last January or February, so for several months, examining Read More
Maine House Passes Bill to Discourage Use of Plastic Bags
But critics contend that even the watered-down bill is unnecessary because municipalities can already adopt ordinances regulating plastic bags. by Kevin Miller, staff writer Portland Press Herald news story AUGUSTA — House lawmakers passed a bill Thursday that aims to decrease the use of disposable plastic bags and foam food containers but that opponents dismissed Read More
Bag Free, Plastic Foam Ban Take Effect Tuesday in South Portland
The City Council approved the ordinances unanimously last September. By Kelley Bouchard, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald news story SOUTH PORTLAND — Two new ordinances take effect Tuesday, imposing a ban on plastic foam food containers and a 5-cent fee on all single-use paper or plastic shopping bags. The City Council approved the ordinances unanimously Read More
Why Support a Ban on Disposable Foam Containers?
EPS foam isn’t recyclable in Maine. Currently, expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam containers cannot be recycled here in Maine because it is not economically viable and causes a real problem at recycling facilities. Therefore, all EPS foam used in Maine is either destined to become trash or will persist in our environment indefinitely as litter. There Read More
