State Update

Non-deposit States Update

The bill, sponsored by House Speaker Bill Deal, would have put a 5-cent deposit on glass, aluminum and plastic beverage containers, excluding liquor containers.  "They are young citizens who think our environment is worth protecting" Deal said. There was a hearing before the House Environmental Affairs Committee, but the bill was shelved.  Opponents claimed that rural communities do not have the infrastructure to implement the bill.
Two bills were introduced in the West Virginia legislative session, one a traditional bill and the other patterned after Senator Jeffords' National Beverage Producer Responsibility Act of 2002.  Neither received much attention in the flurry of other pressing issues, although there is a possibility of interim studies being conducted between

New bottle bills were introduced in at least eight states this year.  The fact that most never even got a hearing before a legislative committee is a testament to the beverage industry's political clout.  Despite this reality, interest in deposits as a method to keep beverage containers out of the waste stream and the litter stream continues to grow.
None of the three bills filed by Tennessee's Rep. Russell Johnson (R) were heard in committee, but all will be still be alive in 2004.  The National Soft Drink Association, the Malt Beverage Association and the Grocer's Association all focused on the impact of a deposit law on an existing industry-imposed, tax (which a bottle bill would repeal). The tax currently funds Keep Tennessee Beautiful, an affiliate of the anti-bottle bill front group Keep America Beautiful.  Johnson plans to continue pushing the legislation in the next session and has the firm support of groups such as the Tennessee League of Conservation Voters.
Deposit legislation was introduced in both branches of the Arkansas legislature, but the House bill was withdrawn.  The Senate bill, sponsored by Senator Sue Madison (D-Fayetteville), was assigned to the interim Study Committee on Public Health, where it will likely be reviewed this summer, with the possibility of a hearing.
The bill would impose a 5-cent deposit on a broad range of container types and calls for at least one public recycling center per county.  The Arkansas Municipal League has taken a lead in supporting the legislation, and while the schedule is uncertain, supporters expect to continue the drive into the next session.
Offended by surmounting waste and litter and inspired by the success in Hawaii, a group of students at the Skyview High School in Idaho organized GUARD Idaho (Get United About the Recycling Decision) and began research on a bottle bill.  "A lot of people are for recycling, most people just need a reason to do it," said senior and GUARD President Nicole Riggs.  They conducted a litter pick up and held a rally at the state house. 

Connecticut: Repeal Effort Scuttled by Bottle Bill
Supporters

HARTFORD -- In February, recycling activists were taken by surprise when a bill to repeal the state's 25-year old bottle bill was introduced by Rep. Patricia Widlitz, Co-Chair of the General Assembly's Environment Committee.  In March, Representative Widlitz convened a public hearing to listen to arguments for and against the proposed repeal legislation, which was couched in the language of "comprehensive recycling."  The only anti-bottle bill witnesses at the hearing were hand-picked by industry to propose an advanced disposal fee (ADF), or "litter tax," as a replacement to the bottle bill.  They included two New Jersey consultants under the employ of the Connecticut Food Association, and Kevin Dietley representing The National Soft Drink Association.
During the 6-hour hearing, bottle bill opponents were far outnumbered by supporters, including CRI, state environmental advocates, the Teamsters - whose members turned out in force - redemption centers, reverse vending machine companies, children's groups and legislators.  The highlight of the