Thermoforms such as those shown here often contain post-consumer material from bottles, but a California bill would require post-consumer thermoforms to be used in production of new thermoforms. | Anakumka/Shutterstock
Current debate over a California bill requiring PET thermoforms to contain recycled PET derived from thermoforms boils down to one question: What will MRFs do?
Some glass recycling advocates have withdrawn their support for proposed California bottle bill legislation in the wake of last-minute amendments. | Fotosr52/Shutterstock
Just days before the end of the legislative session, lengthy amendments were tacked on to California bottle bill expansion legislation, greatly increasing the cost of the program. In response, some previous backers rescinded their support.
The Can Manufacturer’s Institute has offered data on the benefits of a national bottle deposit system. | anmbph/Shutterstock
Can manufacturers are focusing on container deposit programs, expanded access and better sortation to improve aluminum beverage can recycling rates.
Legislators from around the U.S. grappled with bottle bills this year. | Namitha Hebbar/Shutterstock
Bottle bills were popular this legislative session, with updates and expansions passed or considered in several states.
Changes to Iowa’s bottle redemption program are awaiting the Governor’s signature. | Jacob Boomsma/Shutterstock
Iowa lawmakers have approved container deposit legislation that triples the bottle handling fee but allows grocery stores and other retail entities to opt out of the collection system, a fact that could significantly reduce redemption access.
A bill in California’s legislature adds wine and liquor bottles to the state container redemption program. | Josep Curto/Shutterstock
The California Senate passed a bill that would divert large amounts of glass from the curbside stream into the deposit system by applying a California Redemption Value to wine and liquor bottles.
The New York State Capitol in Albany. | Real Window Creative/Shutterstock
In recent days, a proposal for extended producer responsibility was sidelined in New York, and Iowa lawmakers sat deadlocked over legislation to update the bottle bill.
The author responds to a recent study on the financial impacts of deposit programs on MRFs and points to research showing bottle bills reduce overall costs for municipalities. | TakePhoto/Shutterstock
Research compared a variety of deposit systems and recycling rates increased in all scenarios, with the highest rates for an all-beverage deposit of 10 cents. | Rokas Tenys/Shutterstock
This story has been corrected.
Though container deposit systems typically help lift recovery rates for covered materials, the programs also usually reduce tonnages of high-quality PET and aluminum going to sorting facilities. A new study helps to quantify those potential impacts.
