05/04/2026
V**E LEGISLATION IN MAINE
Information from Product Stewardship Institute
On April 24, Maine enacted a new EPR law that seeks to curb the rapid tide of disposable v**e litter in communities and schools. It will also keep toxic ni****ne residue and heavy metals out of waste management facilities, along with lithium-ion batteries, which are known causes of costly and dangerous facility fires. In addition, the law will relieve municipalities and taxpayers of the significant costs of managing v**e waste.
The law covers all electronic smoking devices sold in Maine (including e-cigarettes, e-pipes, v**e pens, and electronic hookahs) along with their components, parts, accessories, and all aerosolizable substances, whether or not they contained ni****ne. While Vermont's household hazardous waste EPR law includes ni****ne v**es within a broader scope of covered materials, Maine's law is the first in the U.S. dedicated specifically to addressing v**e devices for both ni****ne and non-ni****ne substances (including cannabis).
Over the past several years, PSI staff worked with lawmakers, state and local government officials, and industry partners across the country to build a policy framework for v**e stewardship. This effort included navigating the complex intersection of state and federal regulations governing hazardous waste, batteries, and to***co products, which has long resulted in v**e waste falling through the regulatory cracks.
Under the new law, v**e producers must meet the following obligations either individually or collectively through a product stewardship organization:
1. Finance and operate a statewide program for the collection, transportation, and proper end-of-life management in alignment with Maine’s solid waste hierarchy of discarded electronic smoking devices.
2. Submit a stewardship plan to the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) for review and approval by November 1, 2027.
3. Establish a network of permanent collection sites so that 90% of Maine residents are located within 15 miles of a collection location within one year of program launch.
4. Provide free collection receptacles, staff training, and technical support to municipalities, tribal governments, public and private schools, and retailers that serve as a program collection site.
5. Offer a financial incentive of at least $2 per device returned (up to two devices per person per day) to encourage consumers to return unwanted v**es.
6. Ensure that all v**e product retailers in Maine are serving as a collection site within three years of plan approval.
7. Conduct public education and outreach, administer an annual consumer awareness survey, and report annually to the Maine DEP on program performance.
