Critics say a bill in the Senate would undermine states’ efforts to protect consumers. by Kevin Miller, Washington Bureau Chief Portland Press Herald news story WASHINGTON — A group of Maine mothers and activists joined others from around the country Tuesday to lobby Congress to change a chemical safety bill that they say would undermine Read More
Safer Products
LePage on Plastic Foam Ban: Don’t Be ‘Nanny’
He co-signs a letter to Portland councilors as a task force urges them to prohibit polystyrene use. by Randy Billings, staff writer Portland Press Herald news story PORTLAND â Gov. Paul LePage and a national conservative group have come out against a proposed ban on plastic-foam products in Maine’s largest city. The proposal would prohibit Read More
Maine Lawmakers Overwhelmingly Endorse No Toxic Chemicals in Children’s Toys
by Steve Mistler, State House Bureau Kennebec Journal news story AUGUSTA â Lawmakers overwhelmingly advanced a bill aimed at beefing up the state program designed to phase out toxic chemicals in children’s products, but final passage is still in question. The proposal, L.D. 1181, sponsored by Sen. Seth Goodall, D-Richmond, would require manufacturers of 49 Read More
Maine Leaders Try and Fail to Dilute Recycling’s Success
‘Product stewardship’s regulations â even those with industry and bipartisan support â meet staunch resistance from, among others, a commissioner with former ties to corporate interests. by Colin Woodard, staff writer Portland Press Herald news story Third of three parts HERE’S WHAT WE FOUND A Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram investigation has found Patricia Aho, Read More
Maine DEP Needs an Advocate, Not a Lobbyist
A newspaper investigation shows an agency that puts corporate interests ahead of people. Portland Press Herald editorial Corporations can hire lobbyists to fight for them and influence public policy. Ordinary people can’t. They depend on the government to be their advocate. When the lobbyist and the government are the same, the ordinary people are the Read More
Moms Call on Legislators to Pass BPA Right-to-Know Bill
LD 1181 would require billion dollar food companies to report their use of BPA in food packaging ACHM Press Release (AUGUSTA) Maine moms want to know if Sponge Bob and Dora the Explorer are hiding toxic BPA in their soup cans. Maine’s growing specialty food businesses want to make sure the packaging they use is Read More
When Talking Trash, We Should Put Disposal Programs in the Mix
Michael Boardman Portland Press Herald opinion piece PORTLAND – If there’s one topic that keeps popping up in the national news, it’s what to do with our trash. Americans produce more waste than any other country, more than half of which is residential garbage. Some of this garbage is in the form of household hazardous Read More
Support of LD 1308, An Act to Establish a Stewardship Program for Architectural Paint
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
Leftover Paint Waste Target of Maine Bill
Jennifer Mitchell MPBN news story More than 70 million gallons of discarded household paint wind up in the nation’s landfills each year, and untold gallons more remain stored away in attics, basements and garages in sticky, dented containers. About 10 percent of all paint sold is wasted, and many homeowners don’t know what to do Read More
