Bottle Bills in the News
Maine

Ex-Kittery business owner sentenced in bottle redemption fraud

November 01, 2011 A former Kittery redemption center owner has been sentenced to 21 months in jail, all but 21 days suspended, and two years of probation for his role in a large-scale bottle redemption fraud scheme. Seacoast Online

Get producers involved in recycling effort (Opinion) By Matt Prindiville

Oct 2, 2011 There is a lively debate in the recycling world over the pros and cons of single-stream versus dual-stream recycling — the essential difference being that paper and paper-based packaging are kept separate from containers in dual-stream. Sun Journal

SportsZone owner charged in returnable bottle fraud By John Toole

September 14, 2011 The owner of SportsZone is pleading innocent in a first-of-its-kind fraud case in Maine. Dennis Reed is targeted in Maine's first prosecution under that state's returnable bottle law. Eagle-Tribune

One found guilty of violating bottle law By Leslie Bridgers

August 20, 2011 A Kittery man was found guilty Friday while his wife was acquitted on charges of stealing more than $10,000 in refunds and handling fees for beverage containers that were brought to their redemption center from out of state. The Portland Press-Herald

Illegal bottles came in, but did center owners know?
The defendants' attorneys say no, but prosecutors in $10,000 Maine theft trials try to show otherwise. By Leslie Bridgers

August 18, 2011 On the night of March 18, 2010, Dennis Reed towed a trailer carrying 56 bags filled with more than 11,000 empty bottles and cans from his sports complex in Derry, N.H., to the office of Green Bee Redemption in Kittery...The question is whether former Green Bee owners Megan and Thomas Woodard knew the delivery was coming from out of state... The Portland Press Herald

Trial Opens for Kittery Couple Accused of Bottle Redemption Fraud Josie Huang

August 16, 2011 Opening statements in the trial of the former owners of the Green Bee bottle redemption center in Kittery began today in York County Superior Court in Alfred, with the Maine Attorney General's office arguing that Thomas and Megan Woodard knowingly committed fraud. MPBN

Prices unaffected by bottle return bill (Editorial)

Jul 21, 2011 Mainers have long suspected that their bottled beverages cost a bit more due to the state’s strict bottle bill. Not so, at least according to the Massachusetts Environmental Protection Agency. Sun Journal

Environment Maine Hails 125th Legislature’s Defeat of Many Environmental Rollbacks
But Only Few Steps Forward Taken, Including to Get Maine Off Oil and Reduce Toxic Threats (Press Release)

June 20, 2011 With the legislative session coming to a close, Environment Maine Director Emily Figdor released the following statement today evaluating the actions of the 125th Legislature on Maine’s environment: “Governor LePage came out of the gates swinging, taking aim at Maine’s environmental protections. Fortunately, the Legislature largely rejected his efforts to weaken the rules protecting Maine’s air, land, water, and coasts. Environment Maine