Circular Action Alliance (CAA) will not submit a proposal for Maine’s packaging stewardship program, the organization said this week, leaving the state’s search for a producer responsibility organization (PRO) open as producers wait on registration and fee timelines.
CAA said the scope of the request for proposals, released by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) on June 15, doesn’t align with its operational practices, data standards or the producer experience it delivers in the six other states where it holds a contract.
The group said the decision reflects the RFP’s scope, not a judgment on Maine’s program goals, and left open the possibility of bidding on a future solicitation.
CAA currently serves as the PRO in California, Colorado, Maryland, Minnesota, Oregon and Washington. Maine is the only state with an enacted EPR law for packaging where CAA holds no role.
Maine’s law, enacted in 2021 as the first state packaging EPR statute, differs structurally from other states’ programs: instead of a single PRO funding statewide recycling infrastructure, it directs a stewardship organization to reimburse municipalities directly for packaging recycling costs. The legislature amended the law earlier this year through a “fix-it” bill addressing implementation issues.
Proposals for Maine’s contract were due August 3. DEP has not indicated a timeline for a selection decision.
The agency has said it expects registration and invoicing to begin by the end of 2026, with the first municipal reimbursements following in late 2027, assuming a contract is signed soon.
Producers currently have no compliance obligations tied to Maine’s program. DEP has said it will update its implementation schedule once a stewardship organization is under contract, and it is separately developing producer guidance.
