Maine packaging and PFAS laws
What Maine has enacted on packaging and PFAS, what each law requires, and what the bills still moving would do. Maine is one of 21 states that enacted a packaging and PFAS law in the 2025 and 2026 sessions.
- Bills in scope
- 29bills in scope
- Past committee
- 12past committee
- Most recent action
- 29 April 2026most recent action
Packaging and PFAS laws enacted in Maine
12 packaging and PFAS laws enacted in the Maine Legislature in the 2025 and 2026 sessions, newest first. Each links to the legislature's own page.
- LD 2141An Act To Direct A Portion Of Unclaimed Beverage Container Deposits To The Lake Water Quality Restoration And Protection Fund, The Maine Working Farmland Access And Protection Program And Public Defender Office StaffingEnacted 16 April 2026
What it requires: An initiator of deposit must submit an annual report regarding deposit transactions. An initiator of deposit that fails to submit this annual report commits a violation of beverage container redemption laws. A distributor or dealer must not sell or distribute in the State any beverage containers of an initiator that has failed to submit the required annual report.
Plastics bans and bottle deposits
- LD 493An Act To Expand Testing For Perfluoroalkyl And Polyfluoroalkyl Substances To Private Drinking Water WellsEnacted 16 April 2026
What it does: Appropriates $122,877 for fiscal year 2025-26 and $111,561 for fiscal year 2026-27 to the Department of Health and Human Services for creating brochures on perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances testing and establishing one Environmental Specialist III position for well water testing rulemaking and outreach.
PFAS in water, land and health
- LD 582An Act To Require Health Insurance Carriers To Provide Coverage For Blood Testing For Perfluoroalkyl And Polyfluoroalkyl SubstancesEnacted 15 April 2026
What it requires: Carriers offering health plans in Maine must provide coverage for blood testing for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances recommended by a provider as medically necessary. Health plans may not impose deductibles, copayments, coinsurance, or other cost-sharing for such testing. These requirements apply to policies executed, delivered, issued, continued, or renewed on or after January 1, 2026.
PFAS in water, land and health
- LD 222An Act To Establish A Take-Back And Disposal Program For Firefighting And Fire-Suppressing Foam To Which Perfluoroalkyl And Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Have Been AddedEnacted 11 January 2026
What it does: Establishes a take-back and disposal program for firefighting foam containing perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, to be implemented by the Department of Environmental Protection when funds are available, with a baseline allocation of $500 for fiscal years 2025-26 and 2026-27.
PFAS bans in products
- LD 1326An Act To Protect The Drinking Water For Consumers Of Certain Water Systems By Establishing Maximum Contaminant Levels For Certain Perfluoroalkyl And Polyfluoroalkyl SubstancesEnacted 25 June 2025
What it requires: Community water systems and nontransient, noncommunity water systems must maintain maximum contaminant levels for regulated PFAS contaminants at or below those in 40 CFR Section 141.61(c)(2) as promulgated April 26, 2024. These systems must conduct PFAS monitoring, submit sample results, implement treatment or remedies for exceedances, and provide public notice identifying each PFAS type detected and total PFAS levels.
PFAS in water, land and health
- LD 1423An Act To Improve Recycling By Updating The Stewardship Program For PackagingEnacted 20 June 2025
What it requires: Producers must annually report to the stewardship organization the total amount of each type of packaging material sold, offered for sale or distributed for sale in or into the State during the prior calendar year. Producers must comply with stewardship program requirements unless exempt based on gross revenue, packaging material tonnage, revenue source, or perishable food thresholds.
Packaging EPR
- LD 1786An Act To Require The Department Of Environmental Protection To Provide Certain Information Regarding Perfluoroalkyl And Polyfluoroalkyl Substances To The Public And Private Drinking Water Well OwnersEnacted 15 June 2025
What it requires: The Department of Environmental Protection shall post current federal EPA standards or state maximum contaminant levels for PFAS in drinking water on its publicly accessible website. The department shall provide private drinking water well owners with PFAS standards, test results in easy-to-read format, and lists of remediation resources and financial assistance by mail and email when contamination is suspected or requested.
PFAS in water, land and health
- LD 1564An Act To Delay Implementation Of Recent Changes To Maine'S Beverage Container Redemption LawEnacted 10 June 2025
What it requires: Initiators of deposit must register beverage container labels with the department by January 15, 2026 and renew annually. Commingling groups and the cooperative must ensure accurate label registration information is provided and updated at least 30 days before sale. Beginning January 15, 2026, the cooperative must implement a department-approved program plan for beverage container collection and sorting.
Plastics bans and bottle deposits
- LD 1306An Act To Continue The Exemption For Polystyrene Foam Disposable Food Service Containers Prepackaged At WholesaleEnacted 30 May 2025
What it does: Delays from July 1, 2025 to July 1, 2027 the effective date of provisions that expand the definition of disposable food service containers and the repeal date of an exemption allowing covered establishments to sell food in polystyrene foam containers purchased prepackaged at wholesale.
Plastics bans and bottle deposits
- LD 1604An Act To Protect Groundwater And Surface Waters From Perfluoroalkyl And Polyfluoroalkyl Substances From Landfill LeachateEnacted 30 May 2025
What it requires: Beginning June 1, 2026, persons licensed to discharge wastewater to groundwater or waters of the State may not discharge wastewater containing landfill leachate unless effluent satisfies department-adopted limits on perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances. Licensed solid waste landfills with leachate collection systems must test leachate quarterly for PFAS contamination by independent third parties and report results annually to the department.
PFAS in water, land and health
- LD 130An Act To Establish The Pfas Response Program And To Modify The Fund To Address Pfas ContaminationEnacted 9 May 2025
What it requires: The Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry shall establish and administer the PFAS Response Program to respond to PFAS contamination affecting agricultural producers. The department shall establish maximum PFAS levels in farm products in consultation with the Department of Health and Human Services, Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and may prohibit commercial sale of products exceeding those levels.
PFAS in water, land and health
- LD 987An Act Clarifying Exemptions From The Notification Requirements For Products Containing PfasEnacted 9 May 2025
What it does: Expands the list of vehicles and equipment exempt from PFAS notification requirements under Maine law to include farm equipment, forestry equipment, construction equipment, mining equipment, turf and yard equipment, outdoor power equipment, aviation equipment, racing vehicles, engines, power sources, infrastructure and transmission equipment, power tools, and related components and repair parts.
PFAS bans in products
Packaging and PFAS in Maine, by topic
Plastics bans and bottle deposits
12 bills, 3 enacted. Enacted in 11 states.
PFAS in water, land and health
9 bills, 6 enacted. Enacted in 16 states.
PFAS bans in products
5 bills, 2 enacted. Enacted in 14 states.
Packaging EPR
1 bill, 1 enacted. Enacted in 6 states.
Packaging and PFAS bills in Maine
The bills not yet law, furthest along first, with what each would do.
12Enacted
17Introduced or inactive
29 bills in scope
Introduced or inactive
17
What it would do: This committee amendment incorporates a fiscal note into L.D. 1111, which provides water service infrastructure to Fairfield residents affected by perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances.
What it would do: Renames the Land Application Contaminant Monitoring Fund to the Well Contamination Response Fund and expands its use to test, monitor, and remediate private drinking water wells contaminated by PFAS and other hazardous substances. Appropriates $1,000,000 in General Fund for fiscal year 2026-27.
What it would do: Requires the commingling program to transition beverage container sorting from brand to material type by October 1, 2026, contingent on 90% of deposit initiators providing sales data by June 30, 2026, and clarifies the department's plan review is not a license or permit decision.
What it would do: Removes the exemption for EPA-approved pesticides applied aerially or by land, then creates a new exemption for EPA-registered pesticides applied by persons licensed as agricultural basic, private, or commercial applicators by Maine's Board of Pesticides Control.
What it would do: Amends Maine's beverage container law to exclude plastic cans containing 200 milliliters or less of alcoholic beverage from the prohibition on selling beverages in plastic containers, and clarifies that plastic cans are not defined as beverage containers.
What it would do: Prohibits lodging establishments from providing personal health or beauty products in single-use plastic containers with less than 6-ounce capacity, effective January 1, 2030 for establishments with 50+ units and January 1, 2032 for smaller establishments, with exemptions for stand-alone cabins and refillable containers.
What it would do: Amends Maine's definition of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in two statutes to align with the EPA's definition by specifying three chemical substructures instead of the broader prior definition of fluorinated organic chemicals containing at least one fully fluorinated carbon atom.
What it would do: Establishes soil concentration levels for PFAS contamination, requires Maine drinking water rules to match federal EPA standards from April 2024, makes federal food packaging PFAS regulations preempt state law, and requires state surface water quality and emissions standards for PFAS to match federal standards.
What it would do: Amends beverage container commingling laws to expand the list of materials considered "like materials" for commingling purposes, clarify when commingling groups may refuse improperly processed containers, and prohibit initiators of deposit from requiring dealers or redemption centers to sort containers beyond approved commingling agreements.
What it would do: Exempts solar energy systems with nameplate capacity of 100 kilowatts or less collocated with residential customers from testing requirements for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances contamination. Appropriates $1,043,304 for fiscal year 2025-26 and $1,121,003 for fiscal year 2026-27 to the Department of Environmental Protection for 9 positions.
What it would do: Amends the definition of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in Maine's Pesticide Control Act to align with the EPA's definition in 40 Code of Federal Regulations Section 705.3, and applies this definition to the prohibition on selling pesticide products containing intentionally added PFAS.
What it would do: Excludes polymer-coated cookware authorized for food contact by the FDA from Maine's definition of cookware products subject to PFAS restrictions, and allows sale of cookware with cooking surfaces containing polytetrafluoroethylene, fluorinated ethylene propylene, or perfluoroalkoxy alkane.
What it would do: Removes the requirement that retail establishments charge at least 5 cents per recycled paper bag or reusable plastic bag at point of sale, allowing them to provide bags for free while retaining the option to charge a fee.
What it would do: Repeals 38 MRSA §1611, which restricted the use of recycled paper bags, reusable bags made of plastic, and single-use carry-out bags.
What it would do: Amends Maine's single-use carry-out bag ban by adding definitions for reusable fabric and plastic bags, expanding point of sale to include curbside and home delivery, increasing the recycled paper and reusable plastic bag fee from 5 cents to 10 cents per bag, and raising recycled paper bag post-consumer content from 20% to 40%.
What it would do: Requires the Department of Environmental Protection to include in its February 15, 2026 beverage container redemption program report, and each subsequent report, an evaluation and recommendations regarding inclusion of additional container sizes and types, specifically clear glass containers for non-beverage consumer products.
What it would do: Prohibits any person from selling or offering to sell loose polystyrene pieces used for packing material in Maine after January 1, 2027.
Bill titles link to the Maine Legislature's own page.
What counts as packaging and PFAS legislation
In scope: Packaging EPR; pFAS bans in products; pFAS in water, land and health; plastics bans and bottle deposits; and recyclability and labeling claims.
Questions
Does Maine have a packaging and PFAS law?
Yes. Maine enacted 12 packaging and PFAS laws in the 2025 and 2026 sessions, among them LD 2141, LD 493 and LD 582. Each is listed on this page with what it requires.
What does Maine legislate on most in packaging and PFAS?
Plastics bans and bottle deposits (12 bills), PFAS in water, land and health (9 bills) and PFAS bans in products (5 bills).
Are these summaries reviewed by a lawyer?
No. Which bills count as Packaging and PFAS bills, and the line on what each law requires or each bill would do, are drafted by software from the bill's own text and not reviewed by an attorney. Every bill links to the legislature's own record: read the text before relying on it. The list covers bills from the 2025 and 2026 sessions.
Other practice areas in Maine
- AI in Maine14
- Alcohol in Maine18
- Cannabis in Maine46
- Children's Online Safety in Maine3
- Cybersecurity in Maine3
- Data center and energy in Maine3
- Data Privacy in Maine7
- Employment in Maine82
- Healthcare in Maine156
- Insurance in Maine66
- Intellectual Property in Maine3
- Payments and fintech in Maine11
- Rental housing in Maine25
- Tobacco and nicotine in Maine7
- Transportation in Maine7
- All jurisdictions
Packaging and PFAS legislation in other jurisdictions
48 more currently hold bills in this tracker
- New Jersey71
- New York64
- Congress54
- Massachusetts43
- California36
- Connecticut36
- Hawaii36
- Illinois26
- Maryland21
- Oregon19
- Rhode Island19
- Washington18
- Michigan17
- Minnesota14
- Vermont14
- North Carolina13
- Virginia13
- Florida12
- Indiana10
- Missouri10
- Wisconsin10
- Iowa9
- New Hampshire9
- Pennsylvania9
- Georgia7
- Montana7
- Oklahoma7
- Texas7
- South Carolina5
- Colorado4
- Delaware4
- Kentucky4
- New Mexico4
- Ohio4
- Arizona3
- Nevada3
- Alaska2
- Idaho2
- Kansas2
- Mississippi2
- Puerto Rico2
- South Dakota2
- Tennessee2
- West Virginia2
- Alabama1
- Louisiana1
- Nebraska1
- Utah1
Know when Maine's packaging and PFAS law changes
An alert when a bill moves, and one report a month on what changed in every state and Congress.