PASSING STRONGER BOTTLE BILLS.

• Author: Morales, Adilson Gonzalez

The Problem

Across New England, empty plastic bottles litter our neighborhoods, parks, and waterways. The reason? Globally, beverage companies produce and sell about two trillion drink containers each year. And, unfortunately, curbside recycling has failed us. Many of those drink containers go from recycling bins to landfills or waste incinerators, poisoning our air and water.

CLF in Action

For years, CLF has been at the forefront of reforming our region's recycling system. One of the best ways to boost the recycling of plastic, glass, and aluminum containers is bottle return programs, also known as deposit return systems or "bottle bills."

These laws work by placing a small fee on single-use bottles and cans, which consumers get back when they return the empty containers to the grocery store or a redemption center. Beverage producers (like Coca Cola, Pepsi, and Nestle) pay the fees required to fund the system, so these programs have no cost to taxpayers.

While some New England states pioneered the bottle return system, others have failed to get on board--or have programs that need updates to make them more effective. Massachusetts, for example, passed its bottle bill nearly 40 years ago. But flavored waters, energy drinks, iced teas, and many other beverages didn't exist back then and aren't covered by the bill. Today, the bill applies to barely 42% of all beverage containers.

Like the one in Massachusetts, existing bottle bills in Vermont and Maine also need a makeover. Meanwhile, Rhode Island and New Hampshire need to get on board and adopt a bottle bill.

Progress

We've worked with legislators across New England to pass and modernize our bottle return systems. Each state faces unique challenges, but we've made strides in the right direction.

In Maine, where labor shortages and the cost of operating redemption...