Require Reusable Food Wares in Maine!

LD505 came to public hearing at 1pm on February 20, 2019.

The Surfrider Maine Chapter submitted testimony in support of the intents of this bill, along with a similar bills, LDs 289 and 621.

The work session where the Committee deliberated the bill and testimony presented was held on 3/6/19 at 10am, after which the committee unfortunately voted not to recommend the bill for passage to the full House and Senate. The Bill is now dead. The good news is that another bill to ban expanded polystyrene foam food containers is advancing, and on April 4, 2019, passed the house! More here on that campaign.

BILL SUMMARY

This bill requires that a prepared food vendor may sell or provide prepared food to a customer for consumption on the vendor's premises only if the prepared food is served to the customer using reusable food ware. The bill also requires that a prepared food vendor may sell or provide prepared food to a customer for consumption off the vendor's premises using single-use disposable food ware only if the prepared food is served to the customer using single-use disposable food ware approved by the Department of Environmental Protection as recyclable or compostable.

The bill also requires that a prepared food vendor selling take-out food to a customer for consumption off the vendor's premises must require payment by the customer of a fee, retained by the prepared food vendor, of 25¢ for certain items of single-use disposable food ware in which the customer's take-out food is served or for each take-out meal served to the customer, whichever is less. The provisions of this bill also apply to a prepared food vendor or other food server providing or serving prepared food to customers at a state facility or state function.