The Subcommittee on Chemical Safety, Waste Management, Environmental Justice, and Regulatory Oversight of the United States Senate Environment & Public Works Committee held a September 28th hearing titled:
Examining Solutions to Address Beverage Container Waste (“Hearing”)
A focus of Subcommittee Chairman Merkley was the potential establishment of a national deposit return system for beverage containers.
Ten states currently have a beverage deposit return system.
Deposit return systems or beverage container legislation (also sometimes referred to as “bottle bills”) are described as systems where consumers pay a deposit (i.e., five or ten cents) when purchasing beverages that may include:
- Metal beverage containers
- Glass beverage containers
- Plastic beverage containers
The deposit is refunded when the container is returned.
The goal of such legislation is typically to reduce liter and increase reuse and recycling rates.
Such legislation has both its proponents and detractors.
The last time bottle bill legislation was introduced into Arkansas was by State Representative Vivian Flowers in the form of House Bill 1771. It would have enacted a six-cent container fee with a five-cent deposit return.
A link to the September 28th witnesses’ written statements can be found below:
Susan Collins
President
Container Recycling Institute
Jules Bailey
President & CEO
Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative
Steve Alexander
President & CEO
Association of Plastic Recyclers
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