WASHINGTON, DC - The National Soft Drink
Association (NSDA) held a meeting with industry allies
opposed to national bottle bill legislation in August
2001, according to documents obtained by the Container
Recycling Institute. Industry concern centers on the
possibility that Senator James Jeffords (I - VT), chairman
of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
(EPW), will introduce a new version of his national bottle
bill.
In a related development Senate EPW staff
invited representatives from Pepsi, Coca-Cola, NSDA and
CRI to brief them on the state of beverage container
recycling and the effectiveness of deposits in increasing
recycling and reducing waste. Industry opponents charged
that bottle bills are inefficient and costly. CRI's Pat
Franklin made the point that deposit states have recycling
rates 2 to 3 times higher than non-deposit states.
While Sen. Jeffords is a long-time advocate
of a national bottle bill, his new position in the senate
affords a greater opportunity to address the issue by
holding hearings and setting the committee agenda. Jeffords
is expected to introduce a national bottle bill either
late this year or early next year.
Details of the measure are not available
at this time. However, previous bottle bill proposals
introduced by Sen. Jeffords required states to reach
a 75 percent beverage container recycling rate or require
a 10-deposit.
Senator Jeffords told CRI, "A national
deposit system would create a partnership between consumers,
industry, and local governments. Promoting refund values
on used beverage containers would provide an incentive
for consumers to take a role in cleaning up littered
highways, saving energy and resources, and reducing waste."
In the U.S. House of Representatives,
Rep. Lynn Rivers (D - MI) introduced a national bottle
bill proposal, H.R. 1667, in May 2001. No action is expected
in the immediate future.
