HARTFORD, Conn. (WTIC Radio)—The legislature is considering an updated version of the state's Bottle Bill as advocates call for the 40-year-old bill to be modernized, with one of its key changes being an increase to the beverage container deposit.
Among the numerous proposals to upgrade the Bottle Bill is the increase of the 5-cent deposit on beverage containers to 10 cents.
This increase is key because Connecticut has one of the lowest performing Bottle Bill programs in the world, Connecticut Program Director of the Citizens Campaign for the Environment Louis W. Burch said.
"Our redemption rate is currently down below 50% whereas states like Oregon and Michigan that have the 10-cent deposit have redemption rates in the 80 and 90% range. That's because that gives a stronger incentive to recycle," Burch said.
The increase would be implemented about a year after a proposed package to expand certain aspects of the bill, he said.
That package includes expanding types of beverage containers covered under the bill in order to incorporate certain containers that did not exist when the bill was first implemented in 1980, such as sports drinks, juices and teas.
Another proposal under consideration involves expanding the redemption options for Connecticut residents. According to Burch, the proposed efforts will more than double the amount of options residents have.
A grant program is included in the proposal to open up new redemption centers at some of the urban areas in Connecticut, Burch said, as well as a mandate that would essentially put a bottle machine in all of Connecticut's large chain retailers.
"This is going to clean up our communities. It's going to save taxpayers money on the cost of recycling and it's going to protect the environment at the same time," Burch said.
However, House Minority Leader Vincent Candelora disagrees, saying the money is not going toward efforts to help the environment, as originally intended.
"Most of this money is going back to the state of Connecticut and it's going into the general fund. That money was stolen in 2009 when we had a deficit and it was never returned," he said.
The increased deposit is also going to hurt the state's beverage industry and make products less affordable for residents, Candelora said, while making no strides in helping Connecticut's waste issues.
"Pretty soon we are going to see all of our trash going out of the state of Connecticut into landfills, but that's great, Connecticut has 10 more cents per bottle to be charging residents. It makes no sense. It's not a policy. It's another money grab. It's another pickpocket to the state of Connecticut residents," he said.
The bill is currently on the Senate floor.