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State Updates

West Virginia: Bottle bill under study

CHARLESTON — In 2005, West Virginia Citizen Action Group (WVCAG) decided to revamp the proposed “Container Recycling and Litter Control Act,” removing retailers and distributors from the redemption loop. With this change, legislative support increased and the bill was selected for interim study. “The bill will be reintroduced in the 2006 legislative session,” said Linda Frame of WVCAG, “with more sponsors than ever.”

At WVCAG’S 2nd Annual Deposit Day in the Capitol Rotunda, 10¢ “refunds” were given out for each of the 4,000 containers brought to the booth. Students from West Virginia University rented a U-Haul and delivered the containers to the Capitol lawn.
Governor Manchin has made litter reduction and job creation two of his legislative priorities, and the bottle bill has gotten his attention on both of these fronts. WVCAG will continue to work with the governor, county commissions, solid waste authorities, the WV Farm Bureau, and with citizens statewide to move the bill forward.

For more information, contact Linda Frame at linda@wvcag.org.

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Members of the Overmountain Chapter of Trout Unlimited in east TN display the 21 bags of litter they collected as part of "X Marks the Spot," a statewide litter cleanup. Of the 21 bags, 13 bags (60%) were beverage bottles and cans.

Tennessee: Bottle bill attracts media attention

NASHVILLE — Co-sponsors Rep. Russell Johnson (D-Loudon) and Sen. Randy McNally (R-Oak Ridge) will introduce a new version of their proposed container deposit legislation when the legislature reconvenes in January 2006.

Although the bill was not voted out of committee in 2005, it attracted widespread media attention and triggered an aggressive response by opposition interests including an anti-bottle bill website. (see article on page 11).

The bill recently made the AP wires when Rep. Johnson offered to spend his own campaign funds to take fellow legislators and state officials to Maine to observe that state’s bottle bill firsthand. Among their planned stops: a tour of the largest redemption center in the state.

Unfortunately, owing to travel budget restrictions and a major ethics scandal that rocked state government earlier this year, the proposed study trip is not likely to happen. But Marge Davis, coordinator of the TN Bottle Bill Project for Scenic Tennessee, plans to make the trip herself and videotape the meetings.

For more information, contact Marge Davis at margedavis@comcast.net, or visit www.tnbottlebill.org.