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Environmental Benefits of Bottle Bills

Litter Reduction

Bottle bills were enacted in the early 1970's to address the growing problem of beverage container litter. Putting a small deposit on single-serve, throwaway beer and soda containers proved to be an incentive not to litter.

In the twenty-seven years since the first bottle bill was passed, the number of beer and soda containers sold annually in the U.S. has increased dramatically. Beverage container litter has increased too, but to a far lesser degree in bottle bill states.

Bottle and Can Litter on
U.S. Beaches 1995


Source: Graph prepared by CRI using date from the 1995 International Coastal Cleanup, Center for Marine Conservation, June 1996.

The CMC data shows that on average, beverage container debris represents a far greater percentage of beach litter in non-bottle bill states (19%) than in bottle bill states (7%).

Increased Recycling

Beer and soda containers are recycled in bottle bill states at rates of 85% and higher. Nationally, these containers are recovered at a rate of only 38% by weight.

Beer and Soft Drink
Recycling Rate
(by weight)

Sources: 1) CRI estimates based on EPA date 2) U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Characterization of Municipal Solid Waste in the U.S. 1994

Because beverage cans and bottles reach high recycling rates under a deposit system, they can make a considerable contribution to a state's overall recycling and waste diversion efforts.

A 1996 survey of state waste management officials, conducted by the Container Recycling Institute, showed that the bottle bill is responsible for diverting anywhere from 5 to 15% of the total waste diverted annually in bottle bill states. This results in substantial savings to municipal governments.

 

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