CRI talks with Congressman Markey about his National Bottle Bill proposal
Last fall, Massachusetts Congress-man Edward Markey introduced the Bottle Recycling Climate Protection Act of 2007 in the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill would place a five-cent deposit on every beverage container sold in the country, while keeping in place the existing pro-grams in the eleven states that al-ready have container deposit legislation on the books. The national bill is intended to lower global warming emissions by boosting the recycling rate of frequently wasted beverage containers.
In February, a contingent of CRI Board members and CRI Executive Director Betty McLaughlin met with Congressman Markey in his Washington office to discuss his bill. Rep. Markey explained his commitment to this legislation as an energy conservation and greenhouse gas reducing strategy, and discussed his proposal with CRI.
CRI: Congressman, as Chairman of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, you introduced a national “bottle bill.” Do your colleagues see the recycling/climate change connection?
CM: My colleagues in Congress, and pretty much anyone, intuitively and empirically know that recycling can significantly reduce energy use. We know that we have to do more than just find sources of cleaner energy generation. We need to find cleaner, more energy-efficient ways to do everything.
CRI: And recycling fits into that model...
CM: Absolutely. My mother always told me to work smarter, not harder. Recycling is a perfect example of that motto. Conservation really is the best kind of energy efficiency. Making a new aluminum can from an old one uses 95% less energy than making a can from new materials. The same principles apply to almost any other material, like paper or glass or plastic.
CRI: Can you explain why you favor container deposit recycling over other collection methods?
CM: I believe that bottle bills that encourage deposit recycling are most effective, and can only help to increase recycling rates when combined with other collection methods. The states that have bottle bills along with other collection methods, including my home state of Massachusetts, have much, much higher recycling rates, between 65 and 75%. Several states with bottle bills have increased curbside recycling rates, indicating an increased dedication to recycling in states with bottle bills.
CRI: Are you concerned that the beverage industry may feel “singled out” for producer responsibility take-back legislation?
CM: Recycling is too widespread to claim any industry is being singled out. We’re seeing many more industries and products being candidates for take-back programs—electronics, products containing mercury and other heavy metals, motor oil, batteries. The beverage industry is not alone. All people and all industries must be part of any plan to increase energy efficiency.
CRI: What about the convenience of the at home “blue bin” argument?
CM: I view container deposit legislation as a response to how we consume a soda or bottled water. These are drinks that are often bought at a convenience store, and consumed while on the go, not at home. There should be a financial incentive to help them hang onto the container for a refund, rather than just dumping it in the trash.
The beverage industries have been leaders on recycling their containers, even if they have been doing so because of these state deposit laws. We want to parlay that success into a national program for capturing these materials. I’m happy to give them credit for what they’ve already done, and at the same time say, “let’s do more.”
CRI: When might we see a companion senate bill?
CM: My office has spoken with interested Senate offices, but right now we’re focusing on increasing House support for the bill. Furthermore, the recent legislation I introduced, the Investing in Climate Action and Protection Act, or iCAP, promotes recycling beverage containers. iCAP gives funds to states if they have a beverage container recycling rate of at least 60%.
Next article: Global Bottle Bill Summit held in Berlin, Germany >>