Eco Maine tells Acton that statewide producer-funded recycling reimbursement starts in 2026; town advised to track costs

Eco Maine General Manager Kevin Roach briefed the Acton Select Board on June 25 about a state-run producer responsibility program that will begin dispersing reimbursements to municipalities in calendar year 2026.

Roach said the 2021 law shifts primary financial responsibility for recycling programs toward producers, packagers and brands while municipalities will receive proportional reimbursements for the costs they incur. "The new law reimburses municipalities for their recycling programs," Roach told the board.

He advised the town to begin tabulating and tracking recycling costs — including sorting and separation fees, compactor and container purchase or rental, and hauling expenses — so Acton can document its expenditures and qualify for reimbursement. Roach described reimbursements as proportional (his presentation cited measurement ranges roughly in a 50%–75% band for packaged materials) and said Eco Maine would sort and separate materials; Acton would need one bin and Eco Maine would handle the rest.

Roach also described the existing 5-cent bottle stewardship program and said bottles placed in the general recycling stream would be counted as part of recycling rather than separately. Eco Maine proposed sharing revenue from material sales on a 50/50 basis with participating municipalities and said hauling costs from Acton to Portland would be includable in reimbursement calculations. The Select Board thanked Roach and said they would consider the proposal and the administrative steps needed to track costs and participate.