Despite recycling rates of 70% or more in California and other 'bottle bill' states, overall less than one-third of the 200 billion beverage containers sold annually in the United States are recycled, according to a new report by As You Sow. Container recycling has fallen from a high of 52% in 1992 to 33%, except in Bottle Bill states, where container recycling averages 70%.
The report recommends that beverage manufacturers should take advantage of the low cost of recycled materials and incorporate more recycled content into their containers. Earlier this month the nation's glass manufacturers announced plans to increase the use of recycled content on glass bottles to 50%.
CAW and the Bottle Bill: