Maine

Lighthouse and coastal Maine

In July 2021, state Legislature passed a law establishing Maine’s Stewardship Program for Packaging, 38 M.R.S. § 2146. Learn more.

CAA Decision Regarding Maine's Environmental Packaging Stewardship Services RFP

After careful and thorough review, Circular Action Alliance (CAA) has decided not to submit a bid in response to Maine's RFP for Environmental Packaging Stewardship Services that was released on June 15, 2026. Our decision was based on the scope of this specific RFP, not on Maine’s EPR goals or CAA’s interest in participating in Maine’s program.

As a Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO), CAA is focused on helping producers navigate EPR obligations efficiently while ensuring producer funding is invested responsibly and effectively in pursuit of each state's program goals. The Maine RFP as scoped is not aligned with our operational practices, systems and data stewardship standards or the delivery of the consistent producer experience that is central to our strategic operating principles.

While we are not pursuing this RFP, CAA remains committed to ongoing dialogue about effective implementation of packaging stewardship. If Maine issues future RFPs with a scope more closely aligned with CAA’s operating model as a PRO, we will explore those pathways and evaluate them thoughtfully.

FAQ

  • No. Because CAA is not serving as Maine's Stewardship Organization at this time, producers do not currently have any obligations to CAA related to Maine's packaging EPR program. 

    Producers should continue to monitor communications from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection and any future Stewardship Organization selected through the RFP process. CAA cannot provide legal advice regarding a producer's obligations under Maine law. 

  • CAA was created to help producers navigate EPR obligations and support effective program implementation wherever our expertise and operating model can add value. While CAA has pursued opportunities in multiple states, we evaluate each opportunity individually. In this case, the scope of Maine's RFP was not closely aligned with how CAA is designed to operate as a PRO. 

  • No. CAA chose not to submit a bid in response to this specific RFP. While CAA does not have an official role in Maine's program at this time, we remain open to evaluating future opportunities that align with our role as a PRO. 

  • Potentially. While CAA chose not to submit a bid in response to this RFP, we remain open to evaluating future opportunities. If a future RFP is issued with a scope more closely aligned with CAA's operating model as a PRO, we would assess that opportunity carefully at that time. 

  • CAA does not have an official role in Maine's RFP process and cannot comment on proposals submitted by other organizations. For information about the RFP process, submitted proposals or selection decisions, please refer to the Maine Department of Environmental Protection. 

  • Yes. CAA continues to serve as the PRO in California, Colorado, Maryland, Minnesota, Oregon and Washington where it has been elected by the state to administer EPR programs. This decision relates only to Maine's current RFP process. It does not affect CAA's existing programs or services in other jurisdictions.