Good afternoon Senator Boyle, Representative Welsh, and distinguished members of the Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. My name is Abby King, I am the Toxics Policy Advocate with the Natural Resources Council of Maine and I am here to testify in support of LD 1308. This bill provides a proven solution to the Read More
product stewardship
Maine Strong on Mercury Thermostat Recycling
New Maine Times news story A new report released this week shows that Maine’s program for collecting mercury thermostats is keeping the toxic heavy metal out of the trash and the environment, out-performing almost every other state in the nation. In most other states, weaker laws have spelled failure for the thermostat-recycling program, says the Read More
New Report Reveals Success of Product Stewardship in Maine
Payments for Recycled Thermostats Make Maine a Leading State Program NRCM Press Release A new report released today by the Natural Resources Council of Maine, Multi-state Mercury Products Campaign (MMPC), and Product Stewardship Institute, shows that Maine’s manufacturer-run program for collecting mercury thermostats is keeping the toxic heavy metal out of the trash and the Read More
Group Alleges Industry Influenced DEP’s Mercury Recycling Report
By Kevin Miller, BDN Staff Bangor Daily News news story The Natural Resources Council of Maine is accusing Maine Department of Environmental Protection officials of allowing an industry group to have undue influence on a recent report that calls for a re-evaluation of hazardous waste recycling programs. But a DEP spokeswoman said the department’s doors Read More
NRCM: DEP Submits to ‘Undue Industry Influence’ on Product Stewardship Programs
by Gina Hamilton The New Maine Times news story A new report released Tuesday by the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM) calls into question the amount of industry influence over the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) in the arena of product stewardship regulations. What is product stewardship? For years, Maine has required that Read More
NRCM Report: Internal Documents Reveal Excessive Industry Influence on DEP Report
Freedom of Access Act (FOAA) Analysis of DEP Documents Related to the 2012 Report, “Implementing Product Stewardship in Maine” Yields Industry Paper Trail News release Today, the Natural Resources Council of Maine released an analysis of documents that reveal how a recent Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) report was substantially influenced by representatives of out-of-state Read More
DEP Efforts to Review Product Takeback Program Under Scrutiny
by Susan Sharon Maine Public news story When the Maine Department of Environmental Protection recently suggested review and possible phasing out of Maine’s first-in-the-nation product takeback programs it had meetings with industry but not with other stakeholders or key staff who manage the programs. That is one of the findings from a Freedom of Access Read More
Opposition to LD 1324, An Act to Create Consistency and Fairness in Maine’s Bottle Bill and LD 1417, An Act To Exempt Wine Bottles from Maine’s Container Redemption System
Senator Saviello, Representative Hamper and members of the Committee. My name is Matt Prindiville, and I’m the Clean Production Project Director for the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM). I’m also here representing the Container Recycling Institute, a national nonprofit organization that studies and promotes policies that increase recycling of beverage containers and packaging. NRCM Read More
Sweeping Anti-Environment Agenda Emerges at State House
Record Number of Rollback Bills Proposed to Weaken Environmental Safeguards News release At a State House news conference today, a broad range of people spoke out in strong opposition to dozens of bills introduced by lawmakers that would repeal or weaken laws that protect Maine’s environment and the health of Maine people. Although the governor’s Read More
