Have you ever wondered why some beverage containers have a 5-cent deposit, and others don't?
It's because of the Bottle Bill, (or more formally, New York's Returnable Container Act) which was adopted in 1982 and has successfully reduced litter by 70% in that time. A deposit provides an incentive for customers to return their empty containers to a redemption center and get their money back.
However, why doesn't it apply to all beverage containers? That's a good question - currently the bill covers some carbonated beverages, like soda, seltzers, and beer, and water bottles were only added in 2009. But we would like to see this bill expanded to include containers from wine, spirits, and hard ciders, plus non-carbonated drinks like iced teas, lemonades, and other beverages.
We also support an increase in the deposit from 5 cents to 10 cents, because it is proven to increase redemption rates. In New York, our redemption rate has been sitting at 64%, but in states that already have a 10-cent deposit, redemption rates are closer to 90%. This resembles a closed loop economy, which is better for the environment. With more people bringing their containers to a redemption center, we will have less need for curbside recycling, and less litter escaping to our environment.
You can help make this happen. Please take a minute to send a message to your elected officials to support a better bottle bill by signing below!
