PITTSBURGH (Newsradio 1020 KDKA) - Pennsylvania consumers may again pay a deposit on beverage bottles and cans. Legislation being introduced in the state house and senate would create a 5-cent a container deposit. Consumers would get the money back if they return the bottle or can to the store.
Representative Wendy Ullman, D-Doylestown, is sponsoring the bill in the House. Senator Sharif Street, D-Philadelphia, is sponsoring in the Senate. The so-called “bottle bill” is part of the House Democrats “Zero Waste PA” legislative package.
Ashleigh Deemer at Penn Environment in Pittsburgh believes the up-front cost and inconvenience for consumers is worth it. “A Couple cents a bottle of pop for instance is worth it to take this litter out of our waste stream.”
Ten states now have so-called bottle bills. Hawaii was the most recent to pass legislation in 2002.
States that have bottle bills have much higher rates of recycling,” said Deemer.
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