A bottle redemption company based in South Portland is under fire for violating the state's returnable container laws.

CLYNK - which operates redemption centers out of Hannaford Bros. Co. supermarkets in southern and central Maine - last week received a letter from the state Department of Agriculture, prompted by complaints from consumers over "recent changes to its business." CLYNK earlier this month cut 50 jobs and made some of its redemption centers automated, and also requires consumers to pay for plastic bags in order to redeem bottles, according to news channel WGME 13. The department found that charging a fee to participate and not having general hours of operation are "inconsistent with the regulatory requirements of Maine's Returnable Container Laws," according to the letter.

In response to the Oct. 23 letter, CLYNK CEO Clayton Kyle told WGME, "We're really trying to find ways to help Mainers recycle and we think we've got a good model for doing that, and absolutely want to be sure we're complying with all the laws."

CLYNK has been given 10 days to respond with a plan to change its model, or risk losing its licenses for each redemption center in violation of the law.