"To sell batteries in Vermont, battery manufacturers have to register a stewardship plan with the State outlining how they will contribute to offering free consumer recycling options in Vermont. Walgreens' brand never registered a plan... Despite several violation notices and stop sale notices to the Walgreens stores, compliance was not voluntarily achieved." In March 2017, the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources fined Walgreen Eastern Co., Inc., the owner of three Vermont Walgreens stores, $20,000 for producing and selling batteries in Vermont without an Agency-approved battery stewardship plan. Vermont is the only state with a primary battery stewardship program in the U.S.