Press Release: 2024-03-29
statement: Bill reported out of committee brings MA one step closer to less litter, less waste
MARCH 28, 2024
MEDIA CONTACTS
Executive Director, MASSPIRG
BOSTON: While the container deposit law, also known as the bottle bill, is the most successful recycling tool for beverage containers, the Massachusetts law is woefully out of date. As such, movement of a bill to modernize the law out of a legislative committee is being celebrated by advocates.
“It might be a gray, rainy week, but progress on updating the state’s Bottle Bill is a ray of sunshine for everyone who wants to reduce litter and waste,” said Janet Domenitz, Executive Director of MASSPIRG, who has long pushed to modernize the bill. “We’re grateful to Rep. Marjorie Decker and Sen. Cindy Creem, the chief sponsors of the Updated Bottle Bill which would bring the container deposit law into the 21st century.”
Of the ten states with bottle bills, Massachusetts was recently ranked last by the Container Recycling Institute. The deposit, which has stayed at a nickel since the law passed in 1982, is not sufficient to get the recycling rates of states like Michigan, which increased its deposit to a dime several years ago. In addition, many of the beverages on the market today, like water bottles, vitamin drinks, juices and more did not exist when the law passed 40+ years ago. S. 2104, which got a favorable report from the Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy committee would increase the deposit to a dime and include beverages on the market today.