MELD-222
An Act To Establish A Take-Back And Disposal Program For Firefighting And Fire-Suppressing Foam To Which Perfluoroalkyl And Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Have Been Added
- Jurisdiction:
- Maine
- Type:
- EPR
- Last action:
- Jan 11, 2026
Other
No producer action is triggered yet — track this measure
Next deadline: Jul 1, 2027
Obligations under this law
- ·No direct obligations imposed on producers, manufacturers, brand owners, or importers — the program is a voluntary take-back program administered by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection
- ·Persons in possession of PFAS-containing firefighting or fire-suppressing foam may voluntarily request collection under the program
No designated program action is recorded for this measure yet — treat the above as the general obligation and verify against the source text.
Establishes take-back and disposal program for PFAS-containing firefighting foam, a specialized EPR-like mechanism for hazardous product stewardship, though not traditional consumer product EPR.
Covered Products
- ·Firefighting and fire-suppressing foam to which perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been intentionally added, located in the State of Maine and in the possession of a person located in the State
Producer Obligations
- ·No direct obligations imposed on producers, manufacturers, brand owners, or importers — the program is a voluntary take-back program administered by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection
- ·Persons in possession of PFAS-containing firefighting or fire-suppressing foam may voluntarily request collection under the program
Key Deadlines
Jul 1, 2027compliance: Maine Department of Environmental Protection must design and implement the take-back and disposal program by this date
Enforcement
Maine Department of Environmental Protection, in consultation with the Department of Public Safety, Office of the State Fire Marshal:
Preemption Notes
Bill establishes a state-administered voluntary take-back program; no provisions preempting local ordinances or other state laws are included
Compliance Dimensions
PRO StructureGovernment Run
“The department may contract with a 3rd-party entity to implement and administer the program and may adopt rules as necessary for the implementation and administration of the program”
Tracking dates like these across a whole portfolio of jurisdictions is what Upcoming Deadlines does.
Full bill text
Page 1 - 132LR0101(10) STATE OF MAINE _____ IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-FIVE _____ H.P. 145 - L.D. 222 An Act to Establish a Take-back and Disposal Program for Firefighting and Fire-suppressing Foam to Which Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Have Been Added Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: Sec. 1. 38 MRSA §424-C, sub-§5-A is enacted to read: 5-A. Take-back and disposal program. In consultation with the Department of Public Safety, Office of the State Fire Marshal, when funds are available, the department shall design and, by July 1, 2027, implement a take-back and disposal program for firefighting and fire-suppressing foam to which PFAS have been intentionally added that is located in the State and that is in the possession of a person located in the State. The program must provide for the collection of such firefighting or fire-suppressing foam from a person that voluntarily requests collection and for the safe and contained disposal of the collected foam. The department may contract with a 3rd-party entity to implement and administer the program and may adopt rules as necessary for the implementation and administration of the program, which are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A. The department may receive funds, grants or contributions from public or private sources to design and implement the program. Sec. 2. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and allocations are made. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, DEPARTMENT OF Firefighting Foam Disposal Program N968 Initiative: Provides baseline allocation to establish an account to accept funding for contracted services related to the take-back and disposal of firefighting and fire-suppressing foam containing perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances. OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS 2025-26 2026-27 All Other $500 $500 __________ __________ OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS TOTAL $500 $500 LAW WITHOUT GOVERNOR'S SIGNATURE JANUARY 11, 2026 CHAPTER 525 PUBLIC LAW
Full text as ingested · via legiscan. Verify against the official source above.