What's Next for CA's Bottle Bill


In 2007, California's unique 'curbside friendly' Bottle Bill will reach the 20 year milestone. Poetically, consumer refund values will increase to 5 cents/container (10 cents for containers 24 ounces and larger). Overall more than 60 percent of covered beverage containers are recycled. And while California's Bottle Bill trails only Maine as the nations most expansive, the fact remains that the vast majority of the hundreds of millions of containers still exempt from the program will go 'unrecycled'.

So what's next? Some have proposed abandoning the State's moribund Rigid Plastic Packaging Container recycling program and simply adding all plastic containers to the bottle bill. Others have suggested we take another run at adding wine and liquor bottles.

What do you think?

 

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Wine and liquor bottles - Yes

Submitted by sattamander on September 1, 2007 - 16:48.

I would support this since everytime I am at the recycling center I see people trying to put these containers in the reverse vending machines.  Some actually make it through.  But in reality I don't think it wil happen anytime soon.  For one they don't seem to be a cause of litter so they aren't very visible.  But even more important is the fact you are going up against the liquor industry and very few, if anyone, has success against these guys.

I would like to say personaly that AB 3056 Bottle bill has made an important impact from my point of view and I am both happy and sad at the same time.  Happy because I see a lot more people recycling now that the price has jumped up.  Seems a nickel and a dime register to a lot more people than 4 and 8 cents.  Sad because the lines are growing very long at the recycling centers and no new ones seem to be opening up.  Plus the fact that the existing centers are full and unable to take in more recycling usually before 3pm in the afternoon.  They say they have daily pick up but I find that hard to believe.  If it is true I can honestly say that recycling in my town has gone up at least 400% since last year. 

Used to be last year we could go to the reverse vending machine at 8pm and we would be the only ones there and we could put in two 32oz trash bags with no problem.  Today if you get there after 6pm the machine is full and you have to come back.  Makes me wonder if some people aren't saying forget it it is too make hassle.  Plus the crowds are starting to get rather testy over the waits.