Newell Augur Authors Article in Resource Recycling: Maine Distributors Move Forward with Bottle Bill Reform

In this article published by Resource Recycling, Pierce Atwood Government Relations attorney Newell Augur discusses the “formidable task” that distributors in Maine face, “turning the state’s bottle bill stagecoach into an airplane.”

The program, started in 1976 as a litter control measure, originally covered only soda and beer. Since then, the Legislature has expanded the bottle bill to include, “nearly every beverage except milk.” This expansion, which makes sense from an environmental standpoint, made the bottle bill, “very complicated.” And while Maine has an excellent redemption rate of around 75%, this recycling program is expensive to operate.

In this article, Newell delves into the background of the current program and provides insights into the ongoing efforts to find solutions to the program’s high cost and logistical inefficiencies.

Please visit Resource Recycling for the complete article.

Newell Augur has more than 20 years of experience in Maine in the fields of government relations and administrative law, cultivating long-standing relationships with state government officials and other policy leaders.