Maine's LD 1541 (2021), amended by LD 1423 (signed June 2025), was the first U.S. state to enact packaging EPR.
Facts on this page were last verified against primary sources on August 10, 2026. The EPR Atlas is re-checked weekly; this stamp moves only when a verification pass actually runs, not when the site rebuilds.
The program is still in its pre-operational phase as of mid-2026: Maine DEP issued its Stewardship Organization (SO) selection RFP on June 15, 2026, but no SO has been selected yet and no fee clock has started. Note that Maine uses the term Stewardship Organization (SO), not PRO -- the Circular Action Alliance has stated its intent to respond to the RFP. Startup fees are expected in late 2026, contingent on SO selection and contract signing. Fees are due within 180 days of the SO contract.
Maine's de minimis threshold is less than 1 ton OR less than $2,000,000 in total gross revenue in the prior calendar year, either condition alone granting full exemption (38 MRSA 2146(2)). A transitional $5,000,000 threshold applies from one calendar year after the DEP and stewardship organization contract takes effect until three years after that date. Maine also exempts every producer from its first 15 tons of packaging used for perishable food, which the statute defines to include bakery products, meat, poultry, seafood, dairy, shell eggs and fresh produce.
Base rates before eco-modulation. Final fee = Tonnage x Rate x Eco-Modulation Multiplier. All amounts are projections; actual rates set upon program plan approval.
| Material / Packaging Type | Rate / Metric Ton | Tier |
|---|---|---|
| Aluminum, cans | $106 (est.) | Tier 1 |
| Clear PET (#1) | $441 (est.) | Tier 2-3 |
| HDPE Natural (#2) | $158 (est.) | Tier 1 |
| Steel | $176 (est.) | Tier 1 |
| Uncoated Paper/Board | $141 (est.) | Tier 1 |
| Corrugated | $141 (est.) | Tier 1 |
| HDPE Pigmented (#2) | $564 (est.) | Tier 2-3 |
| PP (#5) | $670 (est.) | Tier 4 |
| Glass | $176 (est.) | Tier 1 |
| LDPE Film / Mono-PE | $758 (est.) | Tier 4 |
| PS Rigid (#6) | $1,710 (est.) | Tier 4 |
| Expanded Polystyrene | $2,434 (est.) | Tier 4 |
Source: LD 1541 (2021) / LD 1423 (2025) statute; Maine DEP Chapter 428. SO not yet selected; eco-modulated fee schedule not established (full eco-mod fees come in later years).
Eco-modulation adjusts fees based on packaging design and recyclability attributes.
Multiplier floor: Not established - eco-mod schedule pending SO selection
Plan submitted: No. Maine uses the term Stewardship Organization rather than PRO, and none has been selected yet.
Agency approved: Not applicable until an SO is under contract.
Where it stands: DEP issued its Stewardship Organization RFP on June 15, 2026 and its own tracker places the program at step four of nine, contracting with a Stewardship Organization. CAA has said it intends to respond.
Next milestone: SO proposals due August 3, 2026. DEP anticipates producer registration and invoicing beginning at the end of 2026, with 90 days to register once the selected SO opens its mechanism.
Source: Maine DEP (July 2026); Sustainable Packaging Coalition (June 22, 2026); Bangor Daily News (July 20, 2026). Agency program page →
The following categories may be fully or partially exempt from producer obligations in Maine. Verify applicability with the CAA producer portal or Maine DEP before excluding any materials from supply reports.
Obligation follows a hierarchy: the brand owner whose brand is on the covered product; if the brand owner has no U.S. presence, the importer of record; if neither exists, the distributor or retailer that first sells the item into the state. Store-brand / private-label goods: the retailer whose brand appears is the producer. Licensed brands: the licensee that makes or sells is usually the producer unless the license assigns it.
ME: Same hierarchy; the Stewardship Organization will confirm producer determinations once selected. General framework; verify the statutory definition and your specific role before registering.
These attributes are the fee inputs, so instrument them at design time. CAA collects this once through its producer portal and maps it to each state you sell into; state-specific rules still apply. Retain supporting records (typically 3 to 5 years) to substantiate reports, exemptions, and credits.
Covered materials / recyclability list not yet published; expected with the SO program plan. Covered materials / recyclability list →
PCR / recycled content: No packaging PCR or source-reduction mandate yet; the stewardship program is pre-operational.
Source reduction: No source-reduction mandate yet; lighter packaging will lower future tonnage-based fees.
Toxics / substance limits: Maine applies the Toxics-in-Packaging heavy-metals limit (100 ppm total of the four metals) and restricts PFAS in products; verify current foodware / packaging scope.
Sources: Maine Toxics in Packaging (38 MRS 1731 et seq.); Toxics in Packaging Clearinghouse member list (Maine is a member). Model the dollar impact of any design change in the EPR fee calculator; this is design guidance, not a fee estimate.
Statute: LD 1541 (2021), as amended, codified at 38 M.R.S. 2146. Read the statute →
Implementing rule: Chapter 428, Packaging Stewardship Program (06-096 C.M.R. ch. 428). Adopted December 2024 and amended in March 2026 to add the Appendix A packaging material types list. Read the rule →
Primary sources. Where the statute and an agency summary disagree, the statute and the adopted rule control.
The EPR Atlas hub includes interactive tools to model your Maine EPR cost exposure and compare eco-modulation scenarios across all seven enacted states.