Accessibility Statement
Maine Nugs is committed to ensuring digital accessibility for all users, including people with disabilities. We continuously work to improve the user experience for everyone.
Compliance Standards
WCAG 2.1 Level AA
We follow the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 at the AA conformance level, the internationally recognized standard for web accessibility.
ADA Compliance
Maine Nugs is designed to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements for digital accessibility, ensuring equal access to all users.
Section 508
Our platform follows Section 508 standards, which align with WCAG 2.0 Level AA requirements for federal accessibility compliance.
Accessibility Features
Keyboard Navigation
- All interactive elements are reachable via keyboard (Tab, Shift+Tab, Enter, Escape)
- Skip navigation link allows keyboard users to bypass repeated header content
- Visible focus indicators on all interactive elements
- Modal dialogs and slide-out panels trap focus appropriately
Screen Reader Support
- Semantic HTML with proper heading hierarchy (h1 through h6)
- ARIA landmarks for header, navigation, main content, and footer regions
- Descriptive labels on all form inputs, buttons, and interactive controls
- Error messages announced to screen readers via role="alert"
- Decorative icons hidden from assistive technology with aria-hidden
Visual Accessibility
- Color contrast ratios meet WCAG AA requirements (4.5:1 for normal text, 3:1 for large text)
- Information is never conveyed by color alone — icons and text labels supplement color coding
- Responsive design that supports browser zoom up to 200% without loss of content
- Clear, legible typography with sufficient line spacing
Content Accessibility
- All images include descriptive alternative text
- Page titles uniquely identify each page
- Links have descriptive text that makes sense out of context
- Form fields include associated labels and helpful error messages
Mobile & Responsive
- Touch targets sized at minimum 44x44 pixels for mobile users
- Content reflows without horizontal scrolling at standard mobile widths
- No content relies on specific device orientation
- Text can be resized without assistive technology up to 200%
Ongoing Efforts
Accessibility is not a one-time effort — it is an ongoing commitment woven into every feature we build. Our current practices include:
- Automated accessibility testing integrated into our development process
- Manual keyboard and screen reader testing of all new features
- Color contrast verification against WCAG AA standards for every component
- Regular audits of the full site using axe, Lighthouse, and WAVE tools
- Continuous improvement based on user feedback and evolving standards
Known Limitations
While we strive for full accessibility, we acknowledge the following areas where we are actively working on improvements:
- Some older user-uploaded images may not have descriptive alt text. We are adding guidance for users when uploading images.
- Third-party embedded content (eco trustmarks, external links) may not fully meet our accessibility standards.
- The Eco Recycling section is in beta and accessibility improvements are ongoing.
Technical Details
Technologies
- HTML5 with semantic elements
- WAI-ARIA attributes for dynamic content
- CSS with relative units (rem/em)
- Responsive design with mobile-first approach
Testing Tools
- axe DevTools (automated WCAG testing)
- Google Lighthouse (accessibility scoring)
- WAVE Web Accessibility Evaluator
- Manual keyboard and VoiceOver testing
Feedback & Assistance
We welcome your feedback on the accessibility of Maine Nugs. If you encounter any barriers or have suggestions for improvement, please let us know:
Helpful Resources
This statement was last updated on February 19, 2026. We review and update this statement regularly as we improve our site.