Soon, You’ll Pay An Extra 25 Cents for Take Out Food In Maine

In an effort to cut down on one-time-use products, Maine is putting a new bill in action come 2021. All restaurants, cafes, stores, and anywhere else that serves food to be eaten on the premises will be required to do so using reusable food ware. If the food is packed for the customer to take away, it must be served on recyclable or compostable materials that have been approved by the Department of Environmental Protection.

The bill also requires that a prepared food vendor selling take-out food to a customer must include a fee of 25¢ for certain items of disposable food ware or for each take-out meal served to the customer, whichever is less.

The 5¢ tax on plastic bags went into effect in Portland a few years ago in an effort to  reduce the number of plastic bags, and this new law will crack down on plastic forks and styrofoam plates.