Maine consumers could soon have a way to safely get rid of used batteries under a take-back program approved by the Legislature.
The product stewardship program would require manufacturers to establish a system to collect and dispose or recycle used alkaline and lithium-ion batteries.
Sen. Denise Tepler, D-Topsham, said many consumers were confused about where and how to get rid of used batteries.
"They throw them in the trash or put them in some sort of recycling bin, and they have been causing fires at landfills and transfer stations all over the state," Tepler said. The measure is intended to reduce waste volume and save taxpayer money, she added.
The Maine Department of Environmental Protection drafted the measure in part to separate lithium-ion batteries from the general waste stream.
Those batteries have been blamed for dozens of fires at the ecoMaine waste facility in Portland and Juniper Ridge landfill in Old Town, according to the department.
Under the bill, manufacturers will have to set up a stewardship program that provides safe disposal opportunities for the entire state. The requirement would extend to products with internal batteries in 2030.
Maine threw out about 410 tons of batteries in 2024, a 0.1% of the state's entire municipal solid waste load for that year, according to a recent state report.
Tepler said the program may also lead to more battery recycling.
"The hope is that there are elements of batteries that can be reused, and we are not just tossing them in the trash to catch fire," Tepler said.
The bill now awaits a signature from Gov. Janet Mills to become law.
