Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy has signed SB 212 into law, which simplifies some of the reporting requirements under the state’s bottle bill.
Most residents in the state won’t notice a difference, but the bill aims to ease the burden of complying with the program on small bottlers and manufacturers operating in Connecticut. Under the new rules, manufacturers who use fewer than 250,000 20-ounce or smaller beverage containers per year can authorize an agent to apply for an exemption to the state’s container deposit redemption law. Applications for exemption must be made to the state Department of Environmental Protection, and must be accompanied by a sworn affidavit certifying the manufacturer fills fewer than 250,000 containers annually.
The law specifically applies to non-carbonated beverage producers, defined in Connecticut as bottlers of water, flavored water, nutritionally enhanced water, any other beverage that is identified as a type of water on its label, and excludes juices and mineral water.