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Code of Maine Rules Responsibilities under the Returnable Beverage Container Law

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Abbreviations & Terms
Maine's Bottle Bill
Updated through the 130th Legislature

Introduction
Maine's “Bottle Bill” was enacted as §16 of “An Act to Improve Solid Waste Management” (PL 1975, c. 739). This section specifically was approved at referendum on November 2, 1976.

The Bottle Bill was codified in Title 32, Chapter 28 of the Maine Revised Statutes until 2015. PL 2015, c. 166 repealed this chapter and enacted Title 38, Chapter 33, which transferred administration of the program to the Maine Department of Environmental Protection. This legislative history includes session laws enacting and amending these chapters since 1976.
Browse by Session Law:  



Year LD Amendments Final Disposition Legislative Record
Debate & Remarks		 Other Documents & News Clips Full LD
History
1976 LD 2249

AN ACT to Improve Solid Waste Management		 Enacted with amendments:

S-486
S-489
S-490
S-491		 PL 1975, c. 739, §16

Approved at
Nov. 2, 1976 referendum

Yes:  274,164
No:   200,200		 Senate, February 26, 1976
p. 282-283

House, February 27, 1976
p. 288

House, March 22, 1976
p. 558-559

House, March 24, 1976
p. 641-643

House, March 25, 1976
p. 670

House, March 25, 1976
p. 686-687

Senate, March 26, 1976
p. 745-746

Senate, March 29, 1976
p. 790-792

House, March 30, 1976
p. 808-810

Senate, March 30, 1976
p. 823-824

House, April 1, 1976
p. 889-890

Senate, April 2, 1976
p. 925		 Report:  Report study on solid waste, recycling litter reduction and reuse of consumer and industrial goods (Mar. 1976)

News Clips:  Please contact a Reference Librarian.		 N/A
1977 LD 662

AN ACT Relating to the Law Governing the Manufacturers, Distributors
and Dealers of Beverage Containers		 Enacted with amendments:

S-125
H-343 		PL 1977, c. 381 Senate, May 23, 1977
p. 1198-1200

Senate, June 22, 1977
p. 1927-1928

 N/A N/A
1977 LD 1890

AN ACT to Make Additional Corrections of Errors and Inconsistencies in the Laws of Maine

OTP-ND:
LD 1896		 Enacted with amendments:

H-901     H-928
H-904     H-931
H-906     H-933
H-907     S-374
H-913     S-375
H-915     S-377
H-917     S-380
H-923     S-381
H-924     S-382
H-925     S-389
H-926
H-927		 PL 1977, c. 564, §120 House, July 7, 1977
p. 2302-2311

Senate, July 7, 1977
p. 2318

Senate, July 7, 1977
p. 2335-2336

Senate, July 7, 1977
p. 2337

Senate, July 7, 1977
p. 2340

Senate, July 7, 1977
p. 2343-2346

House, July 11, 1977
p. 2386		 N/A N/A
1978 LD 2132

AN ACT to Make Additional Corrections of Errors and Inconsistencies in the Laws of Maine

OTP-ND:
LD 2199		 Enacted with amendments:

H-1184     H-1208
H-1189     S-567
H-1190     S-569
H-1191     S-571
H-1194     S-572
H-1195     S-573
H-1196     S-574
H-1198     S-575
H-1202     S-576
H-1203     S-577
H-1204     S-578
H-1206     S-579
H-1207     S-580		 PL 1977, c. 696, §§243, 383 House, March 17, 1978
p. 631-637

House, March 17, 1978
p. 638

Senate, March 17, 1978
p. 641-645

Senate, March 17, 1978
p. 650-651

 N/A N/A
1978 LD 2145

AN ACT to Conform State Statutes to the Maine Administrative Procedure Act		 Enacted with amendments:

H-1146
H-1150		 PL 1977, c. 694, §585 House, March 14, 1978
p. 564

Senate, March 14, 1978
p. 576		 N/A N/A
1979 LD 74

AN ACT to Permit Store Owners to Limit the Hours During which they will Accept Returnable Beverage Containers and to Permit them to Limit the Number of Containers they will Accept from a Single Person or Group at One Time		 Enacted with amendment:

H-573		 PL 1979, c. 450 No debate. N/A N/A
1979 LD 75

AN ACT to Allow Dealers to Restrict the Hours during which they will Accept Returnable Beverage Containers		 Enacted with amendments:

H-574
S-277		 PL 1979, c. 456 House, June 6, 1979
p. 1672		 N/A N/A
1979 LD 765

An Act Relating to Determination of Refund Values on Beverage Containers		 Enacted with amendment:

H-572		 PL 1979, c. 462 No debate. N/A N/A
1980 LD 2012

AN ACT Increasing the Minimum Handling Fee for Returnable Beverage
Containers from 1¢ to 2¢		 N/A PL 1979, c. 735 House, March 18, 1980
p. 491-494

House, March 19, 1980
p. 534-535

Senate, March 20, 1980
p. 579-582

Senate, March 20, 1980
p. 587-588

House, March 21, 1980
p. 603-604

Senate, March 24, 1980
p. 641-644

House, March 25, 1980
p. 660-661

Senate, March 25, 1980
p. 672		 News Clips:  Please contact a Reference Librarian. N/A
1980 LD 2013

AN ACT Prohibiting Nondegradable Connectors for Returnable Beverage Containers		 N/A PL 1979, c. 703 Senate, March 18, 1980
p. 519		 News Clips:  Please contact a Reference Librarian. N/A
1983 LD 1057

An Act Exempting Interstate Domestic Flights from the Bottle Bill		 N/A PL 1983, c. 173 No debate. N/A Yes
1987 LD 895

AN ACT to Extend Maine's Bottle Bill		 Enacted with amendments:

S-89
S-94		 PL 1987, c. 275 House, May 20, 1987
p. 921-925

Senate, May 22, 1987
p. 1007-1011

Senate, May 27, 1987
p. 1075-1076

Senate, May 27, 1987
p. 1077-1079

House, May 28, 1987
p. 1095-1096

House, June 1, 1987
p. 1156-1157

Senate, June 2, 1987
p. 1227-1228		 Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian.

News Clips:  Please contact a Reference Librarian.		 Yes
1987 LD 1224

An Act to Ban the Use of Plastic Connectors for Containers		 Enacted with amendment:

H-261		 PL 1987, c. 373, §4, 5 No debate. Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian.

News Clips:  Please contact a Reference Librarian.		 Yes
1987 LD 1893

An Act to Alter the Effective Date of Extension of Maine' s Bottle Bill		 N/A PL 1987, c. 543 No debate. Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian. Yes
1988 LD 2104

AN ACT to Change the Definition of Wine Coolers

ONTP-ND:
LD 2544		 Enacted with amendment:

H-513		 PL 1987, c. 649 Senate, March 18, 1988
p. 477-479

House, March 21, 1988
p. 487-490

House, March 22, 1988
p. 521		 Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian. Yes
1988 LD 2472

An Act to Clarify the Obligations of Distributors, Dealers and Redemption Centers		 Enacted with amendment:

H-605		 PL 1987, c. 722 No debate. Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian. Yes
1989 LD 1099

An Act to Recover Windfall Profits from Bottle Deposits		 Enacted with amendment:

H-438		 PL 1989, c. 470 No debate. Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian.

News Clips:  Please contact a Reference Librarian.		 Yes
1989 LD 1431

An Act to Promote Reduction, Recycling and Integrated Management of Solid Waste and Sound Environmental Regulation		 Enacted with amendments:

H-640
H-661
H-663
S-397		 PL 1989, c. 585, §§D-2 to D-9 House, June 20, 1989
p. 1604-1615

Senate, June 20, 1989
p. 1646-1656

House, June 21, 1989
p. 1673-1676

Senate, June 21, 1989
p. 1747-1749

Senate, June 21, 1989
p. 1749-1755		 Report:  Study on the Impact of Optional Plastic Bags Title 38, Section 1605: a Report to the Joint Standing Committee on Energy and Natural Resources (Mar. 1991)

Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian.

News Clips:  Please contact a Reference Librarian.		 Yes
1989 LD 1704

An Act to Amend the Definition of Labels in the Beverage Container Deposit Law		 Enacted with amendment:

S-246		 PL 1989, c. 427 No debate. Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian. Yes
1990 LD 2354

An Act to Correct Errors in the Solid Waste Laws		 Enacted with amendment:

H-1069		 PL 1989, c. 869 House, April 5, 1990
p. 755

House, April 5, 1990
p. 759-760

Senate, April 5, 1990
p. 834-836

Senate, April 6, 1990
p. 879-880

House, April 7, 1990
p. 923-925
 Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian.

News Clips:  Please contact a Reference Librarian.		 Yes
1990 LD 2405

An Act Regarding Importation of Liquor		 Enacted with amendments:

H-951
S-604		 PL 1989, c. 817 House, March 20, 1990
p. 559-561		 Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian.

News Clips:  Please contact a Reference Librarian.		 Yes
1991 LD 1256

An Act Concerning the Packaging of Soymilk		 Enacted with amendment:

H-341		 PL 1991, c. 304 No debate. Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian. Yes
1991 LD 1271

An Act to Prohibit the Breaking of Glass Products in Games of Skill		 Enacted with amendments:

H-246
H-265		 PL 1991, c. 251, §2 House, May 8, 1991
p. H-704

Senate, May 13, 1991
p. S-740-S-741

Senate, May 23, 1991
p. S-875-S-877		 Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian. Yes
1991 LD 1863

An Act to Improve the Returnable Beverage Container Laws		 Enacted with amendment:

S-289		 PL 1991, c. 491 No debate. Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian. Yes
1991 LD 1967

An Act Making Unified Appropriations and Allocations for the Expenditures of State Government...for the Fiscal Years Ending June 30, 1991, June 30, 1992 and June 30, 1993		 Enacted with amendments:

H-740     H-750
H-741
H-744
H-748
H-749		 PL 1991, c. 528 House, July 2, 1991
p. H-1403-H-1406

House, July 6, 1991
p. H-1443-H-1444

House, July 6, 1991
p. H-1445-H-1446

Senate, July 6, 1991
p. S-1483		 Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian.

News Clips:  Please contact a Reference Librarian.		 Yes
1991 LD 1979

An Act Providing Unified Appropriations and Allocations for the Expenditures of State Government…for the Fiscal Years Ending June 30, 1991, June 30, 1992 and June 30, 1993		 Enacted with amendments:

S-467
S-468		 PL 1991, c. 591, §§R-1 to R-6 House, July 11, 1991
p. H-12-H-15

Senate, July 12, 1991
p. S-28

Senate, July 13, 1991
p. S-40

House, July 15, 1991
p. H-22

Senate, July 16, 1991
p. S-45		 Report:  The Feasibility of Mail Order Pharmacy and Other Cost Containment Strategies in the Low Cost Drugs for the Elderly Program: Staff Report to the Joint Standing Committee on Human Resources (Dec. 1991)

Report:  Report of the Administrative Costs Task Force (Dec. 1993)

News Clips:  Please contact a Reference Librarian.		 Yes
1992 LD 2131

An Act Relating to Unredeemed Deposits		 Enacted with amendments:

H-1034
H-1197		 PL 1991, c. 819 House, March 11, 1992
p. H-361-H-366

House, March 16, 1992
p. H-418		 Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian.

News Clips:  Please contact a Reference Librarian.		 Yes
1993 LD 256

An Act to Allow the Use of Advanced Lightweight Beverage Containers		 Enacted with amendment:

H-798		 PL 1993, c. 591 House, March 8, 1992
p. H-1655-H-1661

Senate, March 10, 1994
p. S-1571-S-1577

Senate, March 10, 1994
p. S-1579-S-1580		 Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian.

News Clips:  Please contact a Reference Librarian.		 Yes
1993 LD 394

An Act to Change the Definition of Beverage Container for the Purposes of Recycling		 Enacted with amendment:

H-96		 PL 1993, c. 72 No debate. Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian. Yes
1993 LD 740

An Act to Amend the Laws Exempting Aseptic Packaging of Milk Substitutes		 N/A PL 1993, c. 77 No debate. Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian. Yes
1994 LD 1810

An Act to Strengthen the Maine Bottle Deposit Laws		 Enacted with amendments:

H-839
S-605		 PL 1993, c. 703 No debate. Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian. Yes
1995 LD 52

An Act Concerning the Labeling of Refundable Beverage Containers		 Enacted with amendment:

S-210		 PL 1995, c. 437 House, June 23, 1995
p. H-1292		 Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian. Yes
1995 LD 229

An Act to Abolish the Maine Waste Management Agency		 Enacted with amendments:

H-487
S-373		 PL 1995, c. 465, §A-10 Senate, May 31, 1995
p. S-947

House, June 5, 1995
p. H-853

House, June 16, 1995
p. H-1083-H-1084		 Report:  Report of the Task Force on Solid Waste Landfills to the Joint Standing Committee on Natural Resources (Feb. 1996)

Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian.

News Clips:  Please contact a Reference Librarian.		 Yes
1995 LD 700

An Act Concerning Fraudulent Redemptions		 Enacted with amendment:

H-134		 PL 1995, c. 85, §1 House, June 23, 1995
p. H-1292		 Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian. Yes
1995 LD 958

An Act to Make Supplemental Appropriations and Allocations for the Expenditures of State Government…for the Fiscal Years Ending June 30, 1996 and June 30, 1997		 Enacted with amendments:

H-656
S-398		 PL 1995, c. 395, §§P-1 to P-7 House, June 30, 1995
p. H-1456-H-1459

Senate, June 30, 1995
p. S-1567-S-1571		 Report:  Report of the Commission on Higher Education Governance: Initial Report (Mar. 1996)

Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian.		 Yes
2000 LD 2487

An Act to Amend the Jurisdiction of the District Court		 Enacted with amendment:

H-861		 PL 1999, c. 547, §§B-78, B-80 House, March 9, 2000
p. H-1910		 Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian. Yes
2001 Revisor's Report   RR 2001, c. 2, §A-41      
2002 LD 2184

An Act to Implement the Recommendations of the Returnable Container Handling and Collection Study		 Enacted with amendment:

S-539		 PL 2001, c. 661 No debate. Report:  Final Report of the Joint Study Commission to Study Reimbursement Rates for Maine's Bottle Redemption Business and Other Issues Related to the Handling and Collection of Returnable Containers (Dec. 2001) Yes
2003 LD 985

An Act To Improve the State's Returnable Bottle Law and Adjust Handling Fees		 Enacted with amendments:

S-217
S-307		 PL 2003, c. 499 House, June 3, 2003
p. H-904-H-905

Senate, June 3, 2003
p. S-912-S-913

House, April 27, 2003
p. H-1751

House, April 29, 2003
p. H-1793		 Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian.

News Clips:  Please contact a Reference Librarian.		 Yes
2003     RR 2003, c. 1, §34      
2004 LD 1257

An Act To Increase Returnable Beverage Container Redemption Rates		 Enacted with amendments:

H-855
H-977		 PL 2003, c. 700 House, April 27, 2004
p. H-1751-H-1753

House, April 29, 2004
p. H-1793-H-1795		 Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian. Yes
2004 LD 1916

An Act To Correct Errors and Inconsistencies in the Laws of Maine 		Enacted with amendments:

H-907     H-952
H-923     H-953
H-946     S-552
H-947     S-555
H-950     S-559		 PL 2003, c. 688, §E-1 House, April 16, 2004
p. H-1743-H-1744		 Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian. Yes
2007 LD 1759

An Act To Reduce Fraud in the Processing of Beverage Containers		 Enacted with amendment:

S-387		 PL 2007, c. 299 No debate. Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian. Yes
2007 LD 1904

An Act To Correct Errors and Inconsistencies in the Laws of Maine		 Enacted with amendments:

H-630
H-631		 PL 2007, c. 466 No debate. Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian. Yes
2009 LD 50

An Act To Clarify the Definition of Hard Cider for the Purposes of the Returnable Container Law		 Enacted with amendment:

H-106		 PL 2009, c. 110 No debate. Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian. Yes
2009 LD 397

An Act To Amend the Laws Governing Bottle Redemption and To Establish the Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Resources as the Agent in the State for the Purposes of Bottle Redemption		 Enacted with amendment:


S-270		 PL 2009, c. 405 Senate, June 2, 2009
p. S-914-S-918

House, June 12, 2009
p. H-915-H-917		 Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian. Yes
2010 LD 1330

An Act Regarding Gaming by Charitable Organizations		 Enacted with amendment:

H-611		 PL 2009, c. 487, §B-13 No debate. Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian. Yes
2010 LD 1774

An Act To Strengthen Collection of Unredeemed Beverage Container Deposits		 Enacted with amendment:

H-717		 PL 2009, c. 592, §1 House, March 22, 2010
p. H-1193		 Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian.

News Clips:  Please contact a Reference Librarian.		 Yes
2011 LD 1324

An Act To Create Consistency and Fairness in Maine's Bottle Bill		 Enacted with amendments:

H-316
S-359		 PL 2011, c. 429 Senate, June 8, 2011
p. S-1164-S-1165		 Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian.

News Clips:  Please contact a Reference Librarian.		 Yes
2011 LD 1746

An Act To Make Supplemental Appropriations and Allocations for the Expenditures of State Government...for the Fiscal Years Ending June 30, 2012 and June 30, 2013		 Enacted with amendments:

H-974
S-572
S-587
S-589
 PL 2011, c. 657,
§§W-5 and W-6		 House, May 15, 2012
p. H-1544-H-1562

Senate, May 15, 2012
p. S-2281-S-2294		 Report:  New Pension Plan Design and Implementation Plan (Mar. 2012)

Report:  Equalization of MaineCare Reimbursement Rates: Inpatient Substance Abuse vs. Inpatient Psychiatric Treatment (July 2012)

Report:  Report on P.L. 2011, c. 657 - Retirement Plan Implementation (Jan. 2013)

Report:  New State/Teacher Plan 2: New State/Teacher Retirement Plan Report to the Legislature: Proposed Legislation and Implementation Plan (May 2013)

Report:  Commission to Study the Public Reserved Lands Management Fund. Report (Dec. 2015)

Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian.

News Clips:  Please contact a Reference Librarian.		 Yes
2013 LD 1080

An Act To Improve Efficiency in the Collection of Beverage Containers		 Enacted with amendment:

S-116		 PL 2013, c. 275 No debate. Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian.
 Yes
2013 LD 1121

An Act To Promote the Production of Maine Beverages		 Enacted with amendment:

H-397		 PL 2013, c. 259 No debate. Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian. Yes
2015 LD 1366

An Act To Promote Recycling Program Integration and Efficiencies		 Enacted with amendment:

S-169		 PL 2015, c. 166, §§10, 14 No debate. Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian. Yes
2017 LD 56

An Act To Include 50 Milliliter and Smaller Liquor Bottles in the Laws Governing Returnable Containers		 Enacted with amendments:

H-107
H-132		 PL 2017, c. 140 House, May 9, 2017
p. H-451-H-454

Senate, May 16, 2017
p. S-639-S-640

House, June 6, 2017
p. H-751-H-753

Senate, June 7, 2017
p. S-925-S-926		 Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian.

News Clips:  Please contact a Reference Librarian.		 Yes
2017 LD 227

An Act To Exclude Cardboard Beverage Containers from the Laws Governing Returnable Beverage Containers		 Enacted with amendment:

S-4		 PL 2017, c. 10 No debate. Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian. Yes
2017 LD 1473

An Act To Make Minor Changes and Corrections to Statutes Administered by the Department of Environmental Protection		 N/A PL 2017, c. 137, §A-14 No debate. Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian. Yes
2019 LD 248

An Act To Increase the Handling Fee for Beverage Containers Reimbursed to Redemption Centers		 Enacted with amendments:

S-20
S-56		 PL 2019, c. 133 Senate, April 25, 2019
p. S-490-S-491		 Report:  Maine Department of Environmental Protection. Maine's Bottle Bill Program (Jan. 2020)

Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian.

News Clips:  Please contact a Reference Librarian.		 Yes
2019 LD 338

An Act To Allow Flexibility in the Deposit Labeling of Metal Returnable Beverage Containers		 N/A PL 2019, c. 11 No debate. Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian. Yes
2019 LD 1628

An Act To Implement Recommendations of the Department of Environmental Protection Regarding the State's Container Redemption Laws		 Enacted with amendments:

H-461
S-347		 PL 2019, c. 526, §§3-15 No debate. Report:  Maine's bottle bill program : report to the Joint Standing Committee on Environment and Natural Resources 129th legislature, second session (Jan. 2020)

Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian.		 Yes
2019 LD 1789

An Act To Restore the Authority of the Board of Environmental Protection		 N/A PL 2019, c. 315, §§19, 20 No debate. Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian. Yes
2021 LD 1635

An Act To Make Minor Changes and Corrections to Statutes Administered by the Department of Environmental Protection		 N/A PL 2021, c. 186, §19 No debate. Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian. Yes