Redemption Deserts · Maine
Maine redemption deserts and unclaimed deposits
Can people in Maine get their deposit back? It depends on where they live. Here is how far people live from a place to return bottles and cans.
241,610people live in a redemption desert
17.7%of people in Maine (rank 2 of 10)
$4.4 millionunclaimed deposits (2024)
74%redemption rate (2024)
How sure are we? Low. Our Maine list is partial. It has CLYNK drop spots and redemption centers mapped in OpenStreetMap. Maine has no public state list. Real access is likely better than shown.
Key findings for Maine
- About 241,610 of 1,362,359 people live in a redemption desert.
- 241,610 people live more than 10 miles from the closest return spot.
- The typical trip is 3.7 miles in a straight line. 17.9% of people live within 1 mile.
- Washington County is hardest hit. 91.8% of people there live in a desert.
- $4.4 million in deposits went unclaimed in 2024.
Unclaimed money and return rate
- Unclaimed deposits: $4.4 million (2024). Source: NWRA Bottle Bill Escheats Summary Report (Dec 2025), Table 7, from Maine Revenue Services. Deposits paid to the state. Distributors in Maine's commingling groups handle other unclaimed money, so this is not the full total.
- Return rate: 74% (2024), the redemption rate. Source: Container Recycling Institute, as reported in NWRA report Table 2.
- Deposit: 5¢ (15¢ for most wine and liquor bottles).
Map of Maine counties
Map loads as you scroll…
Worst counties
| County | People | In a desert | Share | Typical trip |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington County | 31,095 | 28,560 | 91.8% | 27.9 mi |
| Somerset County | 50,477 | 32,601 | 64.6% | 13.1 mi |
| Piscataquis County | 16,800 | 9,140 | 54.4% | 11.8 mi |
| Aroostook County | 67,105 | 29,090 | 43.3% | 9.2 mi |
| Franklin County | 29,456 | 9,913 | 33.7% | 7.3 mi |
| Oxford County | 57,777 | 18,936 | 32.8% | 6.6 mi |
| Waldo County | 39,607 | 12,126 | 30.6% | 7 mi |
| Hancock County | 55,478 | 14,698 | 26.5% | 7.4 mi |
| Penobscot County | 152,199 | 39,819 | 26.2% | 3.6 mi |
| York County | 211,972 | 28,845 | 13.6% | 3.5 mi |
| Town or place | People | In a desert | Share | Typical trip |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kittery town | 10,070 | 10,070 | 100% | 14 mi |
| Skowhegan town | 8,620 | 8,620 | 100% | 14.7 mi |
| Eliot town | 6,717 | 6,717 | 100% | 11.2 mi |
| Houlton town | 6,055 | 6,055 | 100% | 27.7 mi |
| Lincoln town | 4,853 | 4,853 | 100% | 30 mi |
| Madison town | 4,726 | 4,726 | 100% | 17.1 mi |
| Millinocket town | 4,519 | 4,519 | 100% | 41.5 mi |
| Fort Kent town | 4,067 | 4,067 | 100% | 13.9 mi |
| Dexter town | 3,803 | 3,803 | 100% | 11.6 mi |
| Fryeburg town | 3,369 | 3,369 | 100% | 12.4 mi |
Best-served places
| County | People | In a desert | Share | Typical trip |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cumberland County | 303,069 | 3,702 | 1.2% | 1.8 mi |
| Androscoggin County | 111,139 | 5,187 | 4.7% | 2 mi |
| Kennebec County | 123,642 | 2,173 | 1.8% | 2.9 mi |
| Knox County | 40,607 | 4,187 | 10.3% | 3.3 mi |
| York County | 211,972 | 28,845 | 13.6% | 3.5 mi |
| Penobscot County | 152,199 | 39,819 | 26.2% | 3.6 mi |
| Lincoln County | 35,237 | 1,789 | 5.1% | 3.6 mi |
| Sagadahoc County | 36,699 | 844 | 2.3% | 4.9 mi |
| Town or place | People | In a desert | Share | Typical trip |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brunswick town | 21,756 | 0 | 0% | 1.4 mi |
| Scarborough town | 22,135 | 0 | 0% | 2 mi |
Where to return bottles in rural Maine counties
These are the most rural counties. We list the closest return spots to where most people live. Distances are straight-line. Call ahead.
| County | Typical trip | Closest return spots |
|---|---|---|
| Washington County | 27.9 mi | Lewey Lake Redemption Center (Princeton, 26 mi) · CLYNK Bag Drop (Cottage Street) (Bar Harbor, 49.1 mi) · CLYNK Bag Drop (High Street) (Ellsworth, 51.7 mi) |
| Somerset County | 13.1 mi | CLYNK Bag Drop (Elm Plaza) (Waterville, 17.6 mi) · CLYNK Bag Drop (JFK Plaza, Kennedy Memorial Dr.) (Waterville, 19.3 mi) · CLYNK Bag Drop (Moosehead Trail) (Newport, 19.9 mi) |
| Piscataquis County | 11.8 mi | Dover-Foxcroft Redemption Center (Dover-Foxcroft, 4.3 mi) · CLYNK Bag Drop (Moosehead Trail) (Newport, 27.7 mi) · CLYNK Bottle Drop Location (Old Town, 36.1 mi) |
| Aroostook County | 9.2 mi | Presque Isle Redemption (Presque Isle, 3.9 mi) · Mars Hill Redemption Center (Mars Hill, 16.4 mi) · Eagles Redemption (Limestone, 19.1 mi) |
| Hancock County | 7.4 mi | CLYNK Bag Drop (High Street) (Ellsworth, 5.3 mi) · Bottle Redemption (Ellsworth, 6.5 mi) · CLYNK Bag Drop (South Street) (Blue Hill, 7.7 mi) |
| Franklin County | 7.3 mi | CLYNK Bag Drop (Hannaford Drive) (Farmington, 5.4 mi) · Waldo Street Redemption (Rumford, 19.2 mi) · Trafton Rd Redemption (Oakland, 28.1 mi) |
| Waldo County | 7 mi | Waldo Avenue Redemption Center (Belfast, 5.2 mi) · CLYNK Bag Drop (Lincolnville Ave.) (Belfast, 5.9 mi) · CLYNK Bag Drop (Elm Street) (Camden, 20 mi) |
| Oxford County | 6.6 mi | CLYNK Bag Drop (Main Street) (Oxford, 7.3 mi) · CLYNK Bag Drop (Portland Rd.) (Bridgton, 16.6 mi) · CLYNK Bag Drop (Pidgeon Hill Rd.) (Mechanic, Falls, 16.9 mi) |
How we did this
We used 2020 Census data on where people live. We found the closest return spot on our Maine list in a straight line. A desert is more than 10 miles away, or more than 3 miles in a crowded area. Read the full method.