The Climate Bill would not only increase the Bottle Bill deposit fee, but would also expand the program to include new types of beverages.
Massachusetts – The Senate yesterday passed An Act Upgrading the Grid and Protecting Ratepayers (the Senate Climate Omnibus Bill), which includes an amendment that would modernize the state’s Container Deposit Law, or Bottle Bill.
“We are excited that the Senate supports updating Massachusetts’ Bottle Bill as part of its Climate Omnibus Bill,” said Kirstie Pecci, Executive Director at Just Zero. “Bottle Bills are proven to be the most effective way to manage and recycle beverage containers. By modernizing this program, we can significantly improve recycling while also addressing the climate crisis by reducing demand for new plastics production.”
Massachusetts’ current Bottle Bill requires residents to pay a five-cent deposit on every bottle or can of beer or soda they purchase. They get that money back when they return the empty container for recycling. For years, advocates have pushed the state legislature to increase this deposit, as five cents no longer provides a sufficient incentive. The Senate Climate Omnibus Bill would do just that – raising the deposit fee to ten cents per beverage.
The Climate Omnibus Bill would also expand the state’s bottle return program to include new types of beverages that were not around in the early 1980s when the state’s Container Deposit Law was first passed.
“For over four decades, Massachusetts’ Bottle Bill program has reduced litter, increased recycling, and kept highly recyclable materials out of landfills and incinerators,” said Pecci. “Despite the success of the program, the Bottle Bill has not been meaningfully expanded or modernized since it was first enacted. The Climate Omnibus Bill gives us a chance to make a historically successful program even more impactful. All at no cost to taxpayers.”
The Massachusetts House of Representatives is expected to release its own Climate Omnibus Bill soon. A Conference Committee will then meet to reconcile any discrepancies between the Senate and House bills.
For more information, please visit www.just-zero.org or reach out to Just Zero team members for further comment.
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