A profusion of plastic: most everyone agrees that reducing the amount of plastic we throw away is a good idea.

• Author: Savage, Melissa

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Against a rising tide of beverage bottles and food containers, state lawmakers, manufacturers, suppliers and trade organizations are coming up with new ways to increase recycling and reduce the amount of plastic packaging used in their states.

Americans spent $15 billion on 8 billion gallons of bottled water in 2006. Fifty-seven percent were single-serve plastic bottles, what we usually think of when talking about "bottled water." And according to The Wall Street Journal, American shoppers use about 100 million plastic bags each year at a cost of $4 million to retailers.

Plastic bottles and bags can be reused and recycled, but most end up in landfills. Some estimates show that only 25 percent of plastic water bottles head to the recycling bin; most end up in the trash can.

Plastic containers not only increase the waste stream, they are also costly to produce. Some environmental groups estimate that 17 million barrels of oil are needed to produce the yearly consumption of water bottles--and this doesn't include the oil used to transport the final products to stores. According to the Sierra Club, 11 million barrels of oil are needed to produce one ton of plastic grocery bags.

Bottled water companies like Nestle Waters--maker of such brands as Arrowhead and Poland Spring--have started using specially designed bottles that use roughly half the plastic of the old ones. Other manufacturers are doing the same thing.

The sheer volume of bottled water consumed in this country and the somewhat low percentage of recycling has led the public, environmental groups, cities and states to develop ways to make recycling easier for the consumer hoping to increase the recycling rate.

STIMULATING RECYCLING

In October 2006, the American Beverage Association, the National Recycling Coalition, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Food Marketing Institute, the Grocery Manufacturers Association and the International Bottled Water Association formed the National Recycling Partnership to let consumers know what materials can be recycled, how to do it and why it's a good idea.

"Recycling is of vital importance to our industry, our customers and our suppliers," says Susan K. Neely, ABA's president and chief executive officer. "The beverage industry has a long history of involvement in recycling, and because of our commitment, we are proud to be a partner in this innovative and progressive coalition that will reinvigorate recycling in...