Explaining the Bottle Bill

Teresa Hall is a contributing writer for Earth 911. Become an Earth 911 contributor.

The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) was adopted in 1976 to define the role of the federal government in solid waste and resource management and recovery. As part of RCRA, the federal government intended to: 1) reduce solid waste and encourage recycling efforts by fostering collaboration between federal, state and local agencies as well as private entities, 2) promote public education regarding recycling and 3) establish solid waste management guidelines that encourage recycling for municipalities. (GAO 2006)

Local and state government agencies are mainly responsible for recycling programs, deciding what materials to collect, how to collect them, who collects and processes them, and how to conduct education and outreach programs. Some states require municipalities to operate recycling programs. Beverage container recycling programs, commonly referred to as “bottle bills,” are one important example.

Beverage Container Deposits

Bottle bills require deposits on beverage containers, such as bottles and cans, at the time of purchase. These deposits can be totally or partially recovered by individuals who recycle these containers. The first such bill was passed in Oregon in 1971. Eleven states currently operate bottle bill programs, and these states differ in how unredeemed deposits are dispersed. Most states allow consumers to return beverage containers to either retailers or participating recycling centers. A summary of each state’s deposit program is provided as follows:

• California (imposed September 29, 1986): A five-cent deposit is imposed on all eligible beverage containers. Unredeemed deposits are retained by a state-managed fund.
• Connecticut (April 12, 1978): A five-cent deposit is imposed on all eligible beverage containers. Unredeemed deposits are retained by distributors/bottlers.
• Delaware (June 30, 1982): A five-cent deposit is imposed on all eligible beverage containers. Unredeemed deposits are retained by distributors/bottlers.
• Hawaii (June 25, 2002): Distributors pay a five-cent per container deposit into a special state fund on a monthly basis. Distributors charge retailers the deposit on each container purchased by the retailer, and the retailer in turn charges the consumer the deposit. Unredeemed deposits are retained by a state-managed fund.
• Iowa (April 1978): At least a five-cent deposit is imposed on all eligible beverage containers. Unredeemed deposits are retained by distributors/bottlers.
• Maine (12 January 1976): A five-cent deposit is imposed on beer, soft drink, wine cooler, non-alcoholic carbonated and non-carbonated beverage containers, and a 15-cent deposit is imposed on wine and other liquor beverage containers. Unredeemed deposits are retained by the state General Fund.
• Massachusetts (January 1983): A five-cent deposit is imposed on all eligible beverage containers. Unredeemed deposits are retained by a state Clean Environment Fund.
• Michigan (November 2, 1976): A 10-cent deposit is imposed on all eligible beverage containers. Unredeemed deposits are retained at 75 percent by a state-managed fund and 25 percent by retailers.
• New York (June 15, 1982): At least a five-cent deposit is imposed on all eligible beverage containers. Unredeemed deposits are retained by distributors/bottlers.
• Oregon (July 2, 1971): A two-cent deposit is imposed on all standardized refillable beverage containers, and a 5-cent deposit is imposed on all non-standardized refillable beverage containers. Unredeemed deposits are retained by distributors/bottlers.
• Vermont (7 April 1972): A five-cent deposit is imposed on beer, malt, soft drink, mineral and soda water, and wine cooler beverage containers, and a 15-cent deposit is imposed on liquor beverage containers greater than 50 milliliters. Unredeemed deposits are retained by distributors/bottlers.

Those 11 states currently having bottle bill programs report higher recycling rates for beverage containers than states without such programs. California, for example, reported a 60 percent recycling rate for its beverage containers between January and December 2006; during that year, over 13 billion containers were recycled, which was 814 million more than the year prior.

California leads the nation in the total quantity of bottles and cans recycled. (DOC 2007) As well, states with deposit programs have generally maintained higher recycling rates for beverage containers than the U.S. average rate.