NATIONAL REPORT—The Morning Sentinel is reporting that a bill advancing in the Maine Legislature—LD 1928—would prohibit most hotels, short-term rentals and other guest accommodations from using single-use plastic amenity bottles (with less than a 6‑ounce capacity) for shampoo, conditioner, body wash and lotion. Locations with 12 or fewer units would be exempt. The bill does not restrict the use of plastic refillable containers for personal health or beauty products. It also does not restrict the use of single-use personal health or beauty product containers, bottles, wrappers or packaging that are not made with plastic.
Lodging establishments would have years to comply because the ban would not take effect for lodgings with 50 or more units until January 1, 2030, and January 1, 2032, for locations with 13 to 49 units.
The Maine House of Representatives voted 72 to 70 and the Maine Senate voted 17 to 15 last week to advance the bill. There will be additional votes in each chamber before LD 1928 is sent to Governor Janet Mills for her consideration.
Rep. Lori Gramlich, D-Old Orchard Beach, is the bill’s sponsor. She said the bill, if passed, would be an important step forward in Maine’s efforts to reduce plastic waste.
“This legislation is not just about eliminating small plastic bottles—it’s about embracing a future where businesses contribute positively to the environment and operate with sustainability in mind,” Gramlich said in written testimony.
Bill Would Eliminate Millions of Plastic Bottles
Lawmakers opposed to the bill said it would do everything from create inconvenience for visitors to prompt hygiene concerns and potentially chase visitors to another state. A representative in favor of the bill said the ban would be a financial benefit for businesses, who would save money with the switch to bulk or reusable containers, as well as an environmental benefit. The bill could eliminate as many as 73 million single-use plastic bottles per year from Maine’s waste stream, said a proponent of the bill.
The Maine Department of Environmental Protection would enforce the ban. It said in written testimony that it would treat the ban as a “complaint-based program” similar to how it enforces the state’s ban on single-use plastic bags by retailers.
For hotels that do not comply, a civil violation will be issued with a $100 fine.
Maine is not the first state to tackle a ban on hotel toiletry bottles, Fox News says. New York, California and Illinois all have similar laws in place—while Washington’s ban will take effect in 2027.
‘Is More Than a Fad’
Cole Wilcox, V.P. of Sales, Draco Hygienic Products Inc., a supplier of different types of dispensing systems, said, “It is good to see Maine is getting on board. It is more than a fad.”
California-based Wilcox says his company has been working under that state’s ban for two years now.
“We have certainly seen the shift away from single-use plastic amenity bottles,” Wilcox says, adding that, “We are also seeing plenty of hotels in California that do not have dispensers.”
Wilcox says those properties that have not converted tend to be outside of major metropolitan areas.
“When the ban started in 2023, we were still recovering from COVID-19,” he adds. “This ban was not really front of mind.”
Saves Money, Adds Efficiencies
Wilcox says his customers have transitioned to dispensers not only for environmental reasons but also to reduce costs and add efficiencies for housekeeping staff.
“If you travel for business or pleasure, you are used to seeing dispensers at this point,” Wilcox says. “I don’t think guests are surprised at all seeing dispensers.”
Wilcox recommends that hotels do a test trial first before making the 100 percent jump to dispensers.
“It gives peace of mind,” he says. “You want to see how it works and how your staff interacts with it.”
Wilcox says hoteliers should consider whether there are certain ingredients that are important to them or if “Made in the USA” is important. When it makes sense—for independent hotels, for example—hoteliers should also consider customizing the dispenser covers.
For those concerned about hygiene and refillable dispensers, Wilcox says his company offers pre-filled cartridges. To those who advocate for single-use plastic amenity bottles, Wilcox points out that the vast majority of single-use amenity bottles are, ironically, not sealed.
Hospitality Maine declined to comment for this article.
Glenn Hasek can be reached at greenlodgingnews@gmail.com.
