Backers of bottle bill updates in Massachusetts and Vermont were able to progress legislative proposals that they say could be primed to pass in 2022. | Kwangmoozaa/Shutterstock
Over the past year, the recycling policy discussion nationwide has focused mainly on proposals that force producers to pay for packaging recovery. But significant activity around container deposits is also taking place, particularly in the Northeast.
The author makes the case that user incentives must be a part of wider strategies to boost plastics recovery. | Thomas Bethge / Shutterstock
The Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) stated its support for beverage bottle deposit laws. | Ultrasto / Shutterstock
The Association of Plastic Recyclers has published position statements on chemical recycling, the use of mass balance methodologies for post-consumer plastics, and bottle deposit programs.
Researchers estimate over 74 billion PET bottles were landfilled, burned or littered in the U.S. in 2019. | Teerasak Ladnongkhun / Shutterstock
This story has been updated and corrected.
A new report estimates that a nationwide bottle deposit program would reduce the number of drink containers each American wastes to 67 per year, down from 426 under the status quo.
CalRecycle plans to release final redemption data for the first six months of 2020 in the coming weeks. | photobeps/Shutterstock
This story has been updated with new redemption figures from California’s recycling agency.
Advocacy organization Consumer Watchdog recently noted the COVID-19 pandemic has slashed California’s beverage container recycling rate. But the state’s recycling agency called that analysis “inaccurate.”
Coca-Cola European Partners announced that all bottles produced in Norway, which are made from about 25% recycled plastic currently, will hit 100% during the first half of next year. | Jevanto Productions/Shutterstock
The primary Coca-Cola bottler in Europe will use 100% recycled PET containers in the Netherlands and Norway, committing to consume millions of pounds of additional recycled resin per year.
Many in the U.S. may be unfamiliar with reverse vending machines, because only 10 of 50 states have deposit redemption programs. | Karen McFarland/Shutterstock
By material type, the percentage of plastic containers redeemed through the Oregon deposit program increased more than other materials in 2019. | Picsfive/Shutterstock
Consumers in Oregon last year returned 86% of all beverage containers covered under the state’s container deposit program, according to newly released figures.
