NY weighs dime deposit
New Yorkers would pay a 10-cents-per-bottle deposit on an expanded list of redeemable beverage containers under new legislation that supporters say would “update” the state’s 40-year-old bottle bill.
Ulster County Assemblymember Kevin Cahill sponsors the bill to double the deposit from its current five-cents-per-bottle and expand eligible containers to include wine and liquor bottles, dairy products, ice teas, and sports drinks, and increase the handling fee for redemption centers to five cents per container.
“The Bottle Law is the most successful waste diversion and recycling program offered by New York State,” Assemblymember Cahill said. “Increasing the deposit and adding containers for wine, iced tea, and sports drinks will further incentivize returning these materials and remove litter from our roads and waterways.”
New York added plastic water bottles to the deposit law in 2009. The New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG) lists the ‘Bigger Better Bottle Bill’ among its priorities for the state Legislature’s 2022 Session, creating a “Bottle Bill 40” coalition comprising environmental, civic, and social justice organizations.
Lawmakers approved the 2009 bottle law expansion as part of that year’s state budget and over the objection of many manufacturers, distributors, and retailers.
Governor Kathy Hochul unveiled her 2022-23 state budget as this edition of The Freeman’s Journal/ Hometown Oneonta went to press; the spending blueprint does not appear to include any bottle law revision at this time. With at least eight to 10 weeks of negotiation ahead with the state Legislature, however, lawmakers and advocates will use the opportunity to forward their own issue and spending priorities as part of the spending plan due April 1, 2022.
Now is not the time to increase deposits . Inflation is through the roof and this will add to the cost of the initial purchase of such items.
Don’t increase the deposit… but add those other categories to the 5 Cent deposit.. the sports drinks, iced teas, lemonade… all the single-serve drinks could be included, and would make it a lot easier for homeowners not needing to figure which bottles were refundable!
I think we should break this change into two parts. First, lets increase the containers subject to the deposit to include wine, iced tea, and sports drinks. Once the impact of this change is evaluated, then we could consider increasing the deposit. Having said that, in general, I am not in favour of an increased deposit fee.
Add the items not included. Leave deposit at five cents but increase the handling fee to 5 cents to accommodate the struggling redemption centers who would have added work/volume from increasing volume. They haven’t had a raise in years yet everything is going up for us working in this field.