According to the Container Recycling Institute,only 10 U.S. states currently have container deposit laws in place, ranging from 5 cents to 15 cents depending on the beverage.
The first bottle bill requiring refundable deposits on all beer and soft drink containers was passed in Oregon in 1971, with the goal of reducing beverage container litter, conserving natural resources, and reducing the amount of solid waste going to landfills.
A nationwide poll in 1993 found that 3 out of 4 Americans would support a national container deposit law—strong support before we knew what we know now about environmental impact. Despite the widespread support bottle bills generally have in a community, members of beverage production and retail industries consistently attempt to have existing laws repealed, and to prevent new legislation.
It’s a matter or personal opinion (share your own in the poll at the bottom of the page), but the benefits of bottle bills seem to far surpass the drawbacks for beverage and retail industries.
EcoBuilding Pulse expands their commentary in the full article, and outlines the timeline, restrictions, and deposit amounts for each of the ten states with bottle bills in place.
