On Friday, the Joint Standing Committee on Environmental and Natural Resources will hold public hearings on LD 728 and LD 1063.
L.D. 728 is designed to reduce truck travel caused by the bottle redemption laws. The force behind this act is the Maine Beverage Association, which claims wholesale delivery trucks use too much fuel picking up returnables. Common sense tells me that the delivery truck dropping product off at retailers are sitting there with their engines off. Waste of fuel? No.
L.D. 1063 proposes to consolidate and limit redemption centers. I would rather drive to Day’s Store here in Belgrade than drive to Augusta or Waterville to cash in returnables. In reference to L.D. 728 above, where are the fuel savings in hundreds of people driving to another town to redeem their returnables?
We have no state law that requires any stores owners to accept returnables. Some owners do; some owners don’t. If these bills pass, those who do will no longer be able to.
Employees who are trying to support their families could lose jobs. So if the bills are approved, it kills jobs and increase the numbers of folks in need of state support.
Neil Groder
Belgrade
Send questions/comments to the editors.
