The Bottle Bill Blog

DC Bag Bill!

2009-11-24T15:38:00.001-05:00

DC passed a Bag Bill that will require a 5 cent charge on all bags starting in 2010.

Great News!

Hello Maryville College!

2009-01-18T14:18:00.003-05:00

Just happened to notice that you have been evaluating the website. While I haven't been posting on it in about two years I would still love to get any feedback about the site.

Please leave a comment

Thanks

Detail of the Maryland Bottle Bill from Pete Hammen

2007-02-19T23:58:00.000-05:00

I am also copying this from the minutes to the Baltimore Harbor Watershed Association Meeting. Thanks for the information. We look forward to this bill passing and moving the Free State to be truly "Litter Free".

Here are more details from Pete Hammen:

State Recycling Trust Fund will consist of:
· Newsprint Recycling Incentive Fee
· Telephone Directory Recycling Incentive Fee
· Computer Manufacturer Registration Fee
· Unclaimed deposits
· Fines collected for violation of the provisions of the bill

Trust Fund will be used to:
· Provide grants to the counties to be used to develop and implement local recycling plans
· Provide grants to the counties for public awareness campaigns
· Pay redemption centers the refund value of the returned beverage containers plus a handling fee of 2 cents per container (previous bill had bottlers paying the handling fee)
· At the end of each fiscal year, any unspent or unencumbered balance in the Fund will revert to the General Fund

Redemption Centers:
· Will be certified by the Department
· Each county in the state will set up and run at least one redemption center
· Private retail stores may apply to be a redemption center
· May use reverse vending machines provided that it accepts all types of empty returnable containers
· Pays the refund value to the redeemer

Financial Accountability:
· Redemption centers will file with the Department and the Comptroller a quarterly report, outlining all relevant beverage container transactions; these numbers will be used to calculate handling fees and refund values
· A dealer (retailer) that originates a deposit on a beverage container must prepare an annual report with the Department and the Comptroller; report must include the dollar value of the total deposits for the calendar year collected by the dealer. All deposits collected in their capacity as a dealer must be returned to the Comptroller for deposit in the Fund.

Penalties for violation:
· A redemption center, dealer, distributor, or manufacturer that violates any of the provisions of this bill is liable for a civil penalty up to $10,000 for each violation
· A person may be fined up to $100 for returning between 25 and 100 beverage containers illegally
· A person may be fined up to $500 for returning more than 100 beverage containers illegally

The next steps are to start building support and an action plan with groups to contact (such as labor, teachers, MaryPirg, Sierra Club, Farm Bureau, glass manufacturers, watershed groups, Parks dept..).

Letters to the editor and state and local officials in support of the Bottle Bill are needed.

Baltimore Harbor Watershed Association Meeting Minutes

2007-02-19T23:51:00.000-05:00

Report on Maryland Bottle Bill meeting, Saturday, Feb. 10, at the office of Baltimore Harbor Watershed Association in Baltimore

Why do we need a bottle bill? Anyone who is interested in the litter crisis in our watershed—in the streets, in Sligo Creek, the Anacostia, the Potomac--knows that curbside recycling alone is not stopping the littering of beverage containers—plastic, aluminum, or glass. More than 16 billion such containers have already been landfilled, incinerated, or littered so far this year in the United States (according to the Container Recycling Institute). States with a bottle bill, such as Michigan, have much less litter. We need every option available to provide incentives for people to not toss their beverage containers out the car window, into the brush, etc. The cleanup costs, demoralizing blight, and toxins released into the water are too significant.

The meeting: About 17 people from the region met with State Delegate Pete Hammen to discuss the HB 839 Bottle Bill that Hammen has proposed and that will now receive a hearing already on Wednesday, March 7th. The Baltimore Harbor Watershed Association hosted the meeting; they are on the Baltimore Harbor and have taken dramatic action with their Harris Creek Debris Collector (trash boom) to raise awareness about the litter in the harbor. After the meeting, we took a short walk over to look at it. Please see this link for more information and pictures: http://www.baltimorewaters.org/current_initiatives/trash_netting_system.htm.

It’s been in place since last March and they have collected 16 tons of trash since then. The project is funded for 5 years, at a cost of $30,000 per year. They are planning about 5 more of these in the harbor.

Back to the meeting: This was the first meeting to get interested folks together to support a Maryland bottle bill, which Hammen proposed only 2 months ago. I was impressed with his commitment to this as “the right thing to do for Maryland.” Pat Franklin, from the Container Recycling Institute (informative website: http://container-recycling.org/), a nonprofit based in Fairfax County, was there to give the benefit of her 30-year expertise on bottle bill issues. Other attendees included two from Greenbelt, including a City Council member and a Citizens Recycling and Environmental Advisory Committee member; grad student activist reps from Citizens Using Resources Better (C.U.R.B.); Baltimore City Planning; Baltimore Community Foundation; Chesapeake Bay Foundation; and bottle bill activists. The Anacostia Watershed Society representative couldn’t make it and Tracy Bowen of Alice Ferguson Foundation did not show. Pat Franklin remarked that this was a good preliminary turnout but also stressed the major battle ahead and the difficulty of fighting the powerful and well-funded opposition of manufacturers, distributors, etc. She stated that some of the opposition in the past is no longer here and some have reversed their stance to support a bottle bill (e.g., Owens-Illinois). She said that some container manufacturers actually support a bill but because of beverage manufacturers can’t come out and say it. Her advice was to know opposition and have a very dedicated sponsor, with a broad-based coalition, and at least one group that will be the leader.

The proposed deposit will be 5 cents, with the rationale that it is easier to get a bill with this amount passed and then do an amendment later for a larger sum. They want each county to have at least one redemption center, and hopefully some retailers will have their own operation. Stores will have to keep track of deposits (with 2-cent handling fee), which should be easy for the chains with barcoding already in place. The redemption center need not be the recycling center. Refillables might be exempt from the law.

Living On Earth Read From My Letter

2007-01-31T13:09:00.000-05:00

About a month ago, "Living On Earth", the public radio show. Had a story about the Garbage Vortex. This is where all the plastic that ends up in the ocean accumulates. There are 5 vortexes around the world. The show had a great segment documenting this major issue, but I thought they could have spoken to someone about some solutions to this problem. Since they didn't I pitched in my 2 cents and in a letter proposed a National Bottle Deposit and a National Bill to charge people for bags at stores. Both of these would greatly increase our recycling rate and would really help us to clean up our country.

Here is what they ran:

Our interview about the trash vortex in the Pacific Ocean where garbage, mostly plastic, accumulates in an area the size of Texas brought this two-bit solution from Eric Durland of Silver Spring, Maryland. He suggests a national bottle bill—a 25-cent deposit on all plastic, aluminum and glass bottles and cans, and a quarter charge for plastic bags.

Is Bernie Sanders taking over the Bottle Bill Legislation in the Senate for Jim Jeffords? For those who don't know, Jim Jeffords has been a national champion of bottle bill legislation. I would like to interview Bernie and find out.

Letter To Editor in the Charleston Gazette

2007-01-29T09:30:00.000-05:00

This is a letter against the proposed bottle bill. The writer brings up some points which need to be clarified and discussed.

Concerning the so-called “bottle bill,” years ago when they changed from glass to aluminum and plastic, the whole idea was “no deposit, no return.” Stores don’t have any place to store the empty cans. Also, they don’t want to pay someone just to take care of cans. People are not going to return six or 12 cans at a time. They are going to wait until they have a garbage bag full. Are you going to have a return center in every community? People are not going to spend more for gas to take the cans 25 or 30 miles to a center than they will get for the cans. The center will need a building, a crusher, and one to four people to work there. (Remember, all those cans have to be counted.) Who is going to pay for all that? A lot of people collect cans, take them to a recycling center and get 65 to 70 cents a pound for them. They use the money to buy their medicine, pay for their vacation or other extras. This bill hurts people who already recycle, because it is going to cost them a lot of money!

Thelma Neal
Gauley Bridge

Thelma has some very valid questions, but I believe that all these issues are addressed in the legislation and have been demonstrated in states that already have bottle bills to be addressable. I will take a moment to address her concerns here point by point:

1. Stores can easily make space to store empty containers. Stores in states with bottle bills like Michigan deal with empties every day and do so in a clean and efficient manner.
2. While it is probably true that stores don't want to pay for someone to deal with dealing with this issue. The bottle bill would actually provide useful employment to hundreds of people in West Virginia. I am sure that the taxpayers of West Virginia do not want to pay for people to clean up the sides of the road either.
3. People will (and do) return cans everytime they go to do their shopping in other states with the bottle bill. Reverse vending machines make it very easy for people to return their bottles and cans in any quantity. If some people decide to bring large trash bags full that is not a problem and will make the system more efficient and less time consuming. Don't forget that at 10 cents a bottle it will make people less willing to throw that bag of empties on the side of the road or into the local creek.
4. The goal would be to have return facilities in every community. I know that the state is going to set up facilities in all the major communities. Smaller communities would be served by their local stores which could provide deposit return facilities that are easy and efficient in the form of reverse vending machines.
5. Regarding who is going to pay for all this. The money to fund the program will come directly from litterers and those that choose to throw their cans and bottles away and forgo their deposit. There will be no new taxes and you will not pay for this service unless you choose to litter or throw your cans and bottles with deposits into the garbage. And, in addition, the service will actually make money to help clean up the roads and streams of the state of other garbage.
6. I encourage everyone to recycle. This bill will give a much better incentive for people to recycle and to collect bottles and cans from the side of the road and from the streams. Instead of 70 cents a pound (Do you really receive 70 cents per pound for PET plastic?) you will receive a lot more money for the deposits on the bottles that you collect. In Michigan many schools raise money by having the schoolkids collect bottles and cans which they then turn in for the deposit.

Op-Ed From Linda Frame - WVA Bottle Bill

2007-01-27T04:54:00.000-05:00

Linda Frame is the Program Manager for the West Virginia Citizen Action Group. She is one of those leading the charge to get a bottle deposit bill in West Virginia. She is right. It is time to clean up our streets, parks, streams and rivers. Throwing trash on the ground is not a right. Picking up trash is a responsibility. It is time we stop letting the bottling industry say that throwing trash on the ground is a right.

Read her article in the Charleston Gazette.

WVA Bottle Bill Lobby Day is Feb. 8th

2007-01-27T04:28:00.000-05:00

If you are in Charleston or if you can get to Charleston on Thursday, February 8th, 2007 it would be a great time to stop by your legislators office and let them know you support the bottle bill that is coming up again this year. Lots of momentum this year and it can happen.

Here is the full call for action from the WVBottleBill.org:

Plan to Attend ~ February 8 ~ Bottle Bill Lobby Day

Our sponsors are signed on and the 2007 Bottle Bill should be introduced in both the House and Senate next week. There is a tremendous backlog of bills this year, however, we are excited about our support from new and veteran legislators alike and will be lobbying the bill heavily over the next few weeks.

Speaking of lobbying, what are YOU doing on Thursday, February 8? Please come to the Capitol and join us for a Lobby Day and Press Conference for the Bottle Bill. We will meet at 10:00 AM in the upper rotunda in front of Robert C. Byrd’s statue and lobby Senators and Delegates. Then at 12:00 noon we will meet in front of the governor’s office for a press conference. We hope the bill will be under consideration by a committee at that time so we need to show legislators the support that is out there for the Bottle Bill. Please bring any visuals you may have - photos, etc. We will help you find your legislators and make the best use of your valuable time. Please let me know if you can attend by contacting me at linda@wvcag.org or 304-346-5891. Thanks!

Letter to Editor in the Gazette

2007-01-24T16:21:00.000-05:00

Cristy Baker in Silver Spring thinks that it is time for a bottle deposit here in Maryland. She says that Michigan is much cleaner with a bottle bill and thinks that the 30 foot wall of bottles she saw in the inner harbor of Baltimore is a disgrace.

Gazette Letter to the Editor

MARYLAND BOTTLE BILL BLOG

2007-01-24T10:57:00.000-05:00

There is another blog for Maryland! I'm HONORED to make this post and add the link to my blog. I look forward to hearing more from this blogger and doing what I can to help the cause to pass a bottle bill here in Maryland.

Here is the link! I hope that this blog will get hi on google quickly!

MDBOTTLEBILL

Delegate Todd Schuler On The Proposed Maryland Bottle Bill

2007-01-24T10:50:00.000-05:00

Here is the best information on the bottle bill so far! Please be aware that Delegate Pete Hammen has another proposal for a bottle bill for Maryland so the final bill might look a bit different.

I will copy it from his website for everyone to see. If you want to see it for yourself go to Todd Schuler on Maryland Bottle Bill

"I am proud to announce that the first bill I will introduce in the House of Delegates, is a Bottle Deposit Bill. Immediately after winning the election, I was contacted by a student environmental group from the University of Maryland School of Social Work. The group, Citizens Using Resource Better, or C.U.R.B., has written a bottle bill, and as soon as I get down there, I will introduce it.

Currently about 35% of bottles and cans are recycled in the state of Maryland. Evidence indicates that a 5 cent deposit would essentially double recycling. In Michigan, the only state with a 10 cent deposit, bottle and can recycling is over 95%. West Virginia recently passed a bottle bill, making it the twelfth state to do so.

Our plan would charge a deposit to the consumer at the time of purchase. Any retailer desiring to be a redemption center could apply to be one. Redemption centers would have reverse vending machines installed, to accept and bag bottles and cans, and to issue a ticket for cash redemption. The vendor then redeems the consumer's cash deposit. Upon delivering the bottles and cans to a state approved recycling facility, vendors would receive the deposit, plus a 2 cent handling fee for every bottle or can.

The 2 cents to pay the vendors comes out of the unclaimed bottles and cans. Additionally, C.U.R.B. estimates and additional $30 million in state revenue generated from unclaimed bottles. Some of that money will have to pay for the infrastucture of the project, for instance subsidizing the reverse vending machines. The rest of the money will be earmarked for Chesapeake Bay cleanup.

The bottle bill creates jobs. It raises revenue without raising taxes. Most importantly, it promotes a healthy environment. I am very excited about this bill. I am very excited to get started in Annapolis. And I am very grateful for the opportunity to serve in the House of Delegates. Again, Thank You."

Thank You Representative Schuler. We look forward to hearing more about this and helping you to pass this important legislation.

WABA History Notes Support for Bottle Bill

2007-01-24T10:23:00.000-05:00

The only question now is would the Washington Area Bicyclist Association support a bottle bill now?

1981 Time Magazine Article about Bottle Bills

2007-01-24T10:07:00.000-05:00

Interesting Bottle Bill Article from Time Magazine. Mentions Maryland's 10 year fight for a bottle bill at that time.

Time Article

Greenbelt, Maryland City Council Interested in a Bottle Bill

2007-01-24T09:54:00.000-05:00

The Greenbelt City Council has expressed interest in a bottle bill. They note that it should be a Statewide effort. Maybe those that live in Greenbelt could get the council to pass some kind of declaration in support of a bottle bill on the state level.

Here is the appropriate minutes from the meeting:

"STATE LEGISLATION – DEADLINE TO REQUEST LOCAL AND BI-COUNTY BILLS : Mayor Davis read the agenda comments. Mr. Roberts asked if municipal planning and zoning authority would be raised again this year. The Mayor said she would rather work through the Prince George’s County Municipal Association on this matter. Mr. Herling said REAC was interested in a “bottle bill.” Mr. Moran responded that such a bill would more appropriately be statewide rather than local or bi-county. Mayor Davis suggested that REAC determine whether any of the environmental groups were proposing such a bill. In response to a question from Ms. Mach, Mr. Moran clarified that, unlike a statewide priority being pursued by the Maryland Municipal League, the City’s proposed bill to “increase the municipal share of the public safety surcharge” refers only to the surcharge for new development implemented by Delegate Ross’s bill of last year, which gives Laurel a higher percentage of the surcharge than other county municipalities. Mr. Roberts moved, with a second from Mr. Putens, that the City ask its delegation to submit by November 13 the above-referenced bill and a bill to prohibit the transfer of liquor licenses to gas stations. The motion carried 5-0."

I guess it is time to contact Mayor Davis and Councilmember Herling.

Another report showing Councilmember Herling's support for a Bottle Bill is located here.

Bottle Bill Top Ten List

2007-01-24T09:52:00.000-05:00

There are so many good reasons to introduce a bottle bill for Maryland. Here are the top ten.

Top Ten List for Bottle Bills

DC Appleseed Solving DC Problems

2007-01-24T09:39:00.000-05:00

Someone thinks that it is time for DC to also have a Bottle Bill. I encourage everyone to encourage DC and VA to sign on to a Bottle Bill. A regional solution is the best way to protect the Bay.

DC Bottle Bill Idea

Tribune Article On Trucker "Bombs"

2007-01-23T23:38:00.000-05:00

If you haven't heard of this you should take a look at this article. Seems that truckers are too busy to stop and pee. Instead they pee in a plastic bottle and toss it out the window. I think that a bottle bill would solve this issue. Or at least the clean up crews could make some money from the bottles they have to pick up!

Here is the article: Bombs

WVA Bottle Bill Is Still In Play

2007-01-23T23:34:00.000-05:00

WVA is way out in front of Maryland on this one. It is really amazing to me that West Virginia is more progressive then Maryland.

Check out the article in the Shelbyville Daily Union: WVA Leads The Way?

Examiner Reports that Todd Schuler Supports Bottle Bill

2007-01-23T23:15:00.000-05:00

Good news. One more delegate that supports the bottle bill in Maryland. Welcome to the club Todd!

Here is the article in the examiner: Examiner Article

Maryland Bottle Bill Article in The Gazette

2007-01-23T23:05:00.000-05:00

Here is an article in the Gazette about the Bottle Bill that will be introduced. I look forward to reporting on this more. This is a good place to start if you are new to the issue, but remember that the Gazette is pretty conservative.

Check out the article for yourself at Bottle Bill Proposed Article in Gazette

The Doctor Is In!

2007-01-23T22:54:00.000-05:00

Please forgive my absense and inactivity on the Bottle Bill Front. I have been busy with a new baby boy and my current job, but now I am back.

I look forward to using this site as a gathering place for bottle bill proponents and those interested in bottle deposit legislation as we move forward on this issue. Since I live in Maryland I will be particularly paying close attention to getting a Maryland bottle bill passed. If you live in MD and are interested in this issue please contact me.

Thanks. I look forward to hearing from you. You can look forward to new posts from me on this blog as we move forward.

TN Bottle Bill Dies In Committee

2006-04-20T14:02:00.000-05:00

The Tennessean is reporting that the Bottle Deposit Legislation proposed by Rep. Russell Johnson has been voted down in committee. Another defeat in TN. We look forward to the next seesion. Next time this issue will pass! The campaign was gaining more and more momentum as it went along. Kudos to Marge Davis and the Tennessee Bottle Bill Project. Keep up the great work.

Two comments on this campaign:
1. It is shameful that a room full of Democrats will not stand up and vote for this bill. If the Democrats continue to say that the Republicans are friends of business and they are on the side of the environment then the Democrats can't vote this way. Who will pick up the gauntlet? Will they be a Democrat or Republican?
2. I wish I could have been there at the meeting to boo the no votes! Or maybe it would have been fun to have everybody bring one of those Homer Simpson bottle openers and every time someone voted no we could all have Homer Simpson saying, "Hmmmmmm.... Beer!.. Glug, Glug, Glug... Yippie!"

Thanks again to all in TN that supported this project. Please look for more information at: TNBottleBill.Org
and The Tennessee Bottle Bill Blog

CT Considers Adding Water Bottles To Bottle Bill

2006-04-20T13:48:00.000-05:00

The Connecticut (CT) legislature is considering adding water bottles to that state's bottle deposit legislation. This article in the Norwich Bulletin gives an accurate portrayal of the situation in that state. It seems that the bottling industry is rolling out the same "recycled" arguments to attempt to stop this expansion.

Demand For Plastic Projected To Rise Through 2010

2006-04-13T10:59:00.000-05:00

Recycling Today has an article about a report which was recently released telling of the projected rise in plastic use in the US through 2010. The report predicts that PET plastic will take over as the #1 plastic by 2010 with HPDE plastic still holding 43% of the market. Overall they predict a 4.6% rise per year in the use of plastic.

This could mean that we will have a 4.6% increase per year in the amount of plastic litter as well.

Check out the numbers yourself at Recycling Today.

Expansion of NY Bottle Bill Urged By Syracuse Community Groups

2006-04-13T10:49:00.000-05:00

An article in the Syracuse Post Standard discusses why clean ups aren't the answer to the litter problem. Community groups that deal with litter in their neighborhoods everyday see expanding the bill to include water bottles and other containers not in the current bill as the first best step to reducing litter.

You can read the article at the Syracuse Post Standard.

Letter to the Editor in Albany Times Union RE: NY Bigger, Better, Bottle Bill

2006-04-13T10:32:00.000-05:00

Letter to the Editor in Albany Times Union. I pulled one quote I like in particular:

"We have curbside recycling now. It's just that we have people unable to locate the bin or they can't hit it at 65 mph."

Check out the letter yourself at: Letter to the Editor at Albany Times Union

Republican Former Michigan Governor Honored for Environmental Efforts

2006-04-10T08:52:00.000-05:00

This article is about former Michigan Governor William Milliken. Governor Milliken first attempted to pass a bottle bill in Michigan while he was governor and later campaigned for the bottle bill during the referendum. William and his wife Helen will be honored April 21 at the Northern Michigan Environmental Action Council's annual Environmentalist of the Year Celebration. Governor Milliken is a great example of a Republican politician that made a stand against many in his party for the sake of the environment. Read more at this article in the Traverse City Record-Eagle.

Hearing on Tennessee Bottle Bill will be April 19

2006-04-10T08:13:00.000-05:00

The latest on the proposed Tennessee Bottle Bill.

On Wednesday, April 19, from 9 to 10 am in House Hearing Room 30, the 2006 bottle bill will be the subject of a one-hour hearing before the Local Government Subcommittee of the House State and Local Government Committee. Rep. Russell Johnson will have 20 minutes to make the case for a bottle bill; the opposition will have 20 minutes to explain why they think a bottle bill will be a bad idea; and the legislators will have 20 minutes to ask questions.

Marge Davis, executive director of the Tennessee Bottle Bill Project, is looking for supporters of the bottle bill to come out to the Hearing to show support for this legislation. Check out the Tennessee Bottle Bill Project website for more information.

Dr. Davis believes that if the legislation can make it out of this committee it has a good chance of passing.

Charlie The Recycling Man

2006-04-07T08:54:00.000-05:00

Charlie, the "recycling man", collects recyclables in Vancouver and donates the money to charity. Another example of how a bottle bill can benefit the community. Check out the article here.

Article about Expanding Vermont Bottle Bill

2006-04-04T11:21:00.000-05:00

An article at Vermont PIRG discusses the proposed expansion of the bottle bill in Vermont. Also has quotes from Senator Jeffords about his proposed National Bottle Bill. Here is the link.

Editorial In NC News & Observer Calling for Bottle Bill

2006-04-04T08:33:00.000-05:00

There is an editorial in the New & Observer in Raleigh calling for Bottle Deposit Legislation for North Carolina. It seems that after they ran an article about litter in the state that the editors came to the conclusion that the first, and most effective, step to take to combat litter would be to enact a deposit on bottles and cans. Here is the article.

Here is the article they ran about litter in NC.

Article in Memphis Commercial Appeal by Guest Contributor

2006-03-30T11:50:00.000-05:00

This article is so biased and is so full of inaccuracies that I can't believe that any reputable paper would print it.

Here is an example:

"The bureaucracy that results from container deposit laws is so great, the report (from Gershman, Brickner & Bratton, a consulting firm) says, that states with such laws pay $4.24 per container recovered."

Let us only look at Michigan for a moment. In 2000 Michigan's bottle bill captured 3.871 billion beverage containers (See MI Dept. of Environment Report). 3.871 billion multiplied by $4.24 = $16.41 Billion dollars. The ENTIRE Michigan State budget for 2006 is $40.49 billion. So, according to this guest at the paper, 40% of the ENTIRE Michigan budget would be spent on the Bottle Bill. Does anyone else see a problem with these numbers?

I urge the Commercial Appeal to ask Marge Davis from the Tennessee Bottle Bill Project to also write a guest article for the paper.

From New York: Spitzer Emphasizes Environmental Record, Including Expanding NY Bottle Bill

2006-03-30T10:22:00.000-05:00

An article in Newsday reports on how Spitzer plans on running on an environmental platform in his attempt to become Governor of New York. Here is what they are reporting about Spitzer regarding the bottle bill:

"Other elements of Spitzer's environmental platform include:

Expanding the bottle bill by including bottled water and other non-carbonated bottled drinks. He would also use the unclaimed deposits on bottles, worth millions, to pay for open space purchases and more enforcement jobs in the state Department of Environmental Conservation and Adirondack Park Agency."

Here is a link to Spitzer's speech on his environmental policies.

AP Article about Tennessee Bottle Bill in Papers Around the State

2006-03-30T10:14:00.000-05:00

An article by ERIK SCHELZIG of the Associated Press is in papers all around the state. He interviewed Rep. Johnson who is sponsoring the bill. To sum up the article it says the Bottle Bill made the first low hurdle, but without people calling and writing their Representatives there is little chance for success.

Here is a link to the article in the Tennessean: Article

Proposed Bottle Bill Moves Forward In Tennessee

2006-03-30T09:56:00.000-05:00

The Tennessee Beverage Container Deposit Act of 2006 moved forward out of one committee and on to the next. More information about what happened is located at the Tennessee Bottle Bill Project legislative page. Marge Davis, on the website, said, "We consider this our first victory!" There is no news yet about when the bill will come up on the agenda of the next committee.

Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle Letter in Response to Editorial and Articles

2006-03-29T09:08:00.000-05:00

Today the Leaf-Chronicle published a letter to the editor in response to the one sided articles and editorial they ran. You can check it out here. It just reinforces what has been said here on this blog about the reporting of the Leaf-Chronicle.

In related news, the Tennessee House Government Operations Committee will be forced to bring up the proposed Tennessee Bottle Bill today. For more information on this bill, and its status, you can check out the Tennessee Bottle Bill Project website.

Bottle Bill Blog Update

2006-03-28T15:52:00.000-05:00

Here is a post with some updates about what I am doing at the Bottle Bill Blog. This blog is devoted to publishing information about what is happening with Bottle Bills around the country.

I will be posting current information and stories from all around the country. I would love to have any stories forwarded to me or personal testimony about what is going on where you live. Shoot me an email anytime and I will post your story or photos.

This blog will also serve as a resource for people in all the states to reach the information they need about beverage container legislation. A big part of this wil be having links to all the important websites in all the states. I will continue to update the links as I find them (especially in the states that have not links yet). You can help by forwarding me any websites that are important in your state.

If you are interested in starting a blog for your state that would be great. Email me or get on blogspot.com and let me know you started one.

Thanks for visiting and I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Tennessee House Passes on Discussion of Bottle Bill

2006-03-27T13:40:00.000-05:00

On March 22 the Tennessee House Government Operations Committee did not take any time to discuss the proposed Beverage Container Deposit Act of 2006. There is more information at the Tennessee Bottle Bill Project Website.

Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle Editorial and Response

2006-03-27T09:32:00.000-05:00

A Tennessee newspaper has come out against the proposed Tennessee Bottle Bill in this opinion piece.

Here are some excerpts and responses:

"Does anyone think the three cents per bottle or can really will cover all the expenses of running such a program?"

Response: Yes. District 21 state Rep. Russell Johnson, R-Loudon, who is the lead proponent of the plan, is quoted in your newspaper as saying that the Bottle Bill "would do all this while paying for itself and raising as much as $58 million for programs like pre-K education ... and increased funding for the popular county litter grants program," Johnson said.

"Is there any doubt this will add another layer of bureaucracy to state government?" Response: What is wrong with adding another layer of bureaucracy to state government when the benefits of such legislation are so great? (See TNBottleBill.Org for more detailed information on the benefits of a bottle bill.)

Writing about the current litter tax the editorial says, "Today, it generates $5 million a year for counties to fund litter pickup, oftentimes by prisoners from the county jails. These prisoners pick up all of the trash along the roadsides — not only bottles and cans, which comprise some 10 to 20 percent of trash found along roadways."

Response: As reported by your paper, the bottle bill would generate over $50 million for the state, part of this money would more than double the money received for the County grants litter program.

"What Tennessee needs instead of a bottle bill is a more comprehensive litter-control program that would include higher fines for those who decide to throw a bottle or a fast-food bag out the window of their cars. It's far better to stop people from using the roadways as their garbage can than to pick up the stuff after the fact."

Response: We all agree that a bottle bill is only part of a comprehensive litter control program. Higher fines (and enforcement) for litterers is welcomed by those that support a bottle bill. It is far better to stop people from littering in the first place than to pick up litter after the fact. (See statistics on effectiveness of bottle bills at litter prevention here. A Bottle Bill is an inexpensive and effective part of a comprehensive litter control program.

"Also, cans already are being recycled through private companies and landfills throughout the state."

Response: By definition, a can in a landfill is not being recycled. Only 35% of aluminum cans in Tennessee are currently being recycled. I guess the other 65% are being "recycled" in landfills.

"The proposal wouldn't do anything to address the paper products that are causing the real problem along Tennessee's roadsides."

Response: Although this legislation is aimed at bottles and cans, it has been shown in the 11 states with bottle bills that they reduce other types of litter and increase the recycling rate of all other recyclables, including paper.

"Let's trash the bottle bill before it goes any further in the Legislature."

Response: Let's hear the facts and discuss the issue in the Legislature before we throw this opportunity in a ditch on the side of the road.

You can add your comments to the Leaf-Chronicle blog here.

Michigan Bottle Bill Story

2006-03-24T08:33:00.000-05:00

Here is a report from the bottle bill front lines. A reader posted these comments in one of the stories and I thought they were worth sharing with everyone.

Jordan's blog on Michigan Radio can be found at www.michradio.blogspot.com.

Here are his comments:

Jordan: I live in Michigan. Home of the 10 cent refund. In fact, my job actually revolves very heavily around recycling of bottles and cans.

Bottle Bill Blog: What exactly do you do in recycling?

Jordan: I work at a retailer with the Tomra machines. One of my main responsibilities is to make sure everything is running smoothly. I have to fix the machines if they break down, help the customers, you name it.

Bottle Bill Blog: How do you like the Tomra machines? I am thinking of doing an article on their machines and would love any feedback or information you would provide.

Jordan: The Tomra machines are great, especially the Tomra 83 HCp machines. We just got those at our store last month and we've had LOTS of positive feedback from our customers. I like them MUCH better than the old Tomra 22 and 42 models we had. The new ones make less time for me back there and more time to do my other tasks. www.tomra.com has TONS of information about all of their machines.

Bottle Bill Blog: I have checked out their site (I even have a link), but I was looking for more information from someone that actually uses them and isn't trying to sell them. (You don't work for them do you?) How do your customers like them? And what would you say is the general response to a bottle bill in Michigan?

Jordan: I work at a Meijer store in Michigan. I think the new machines are much better because there isn't as much to clean and they're easier to clean. They also crush the pet and aluminum far better than our old machines did. Also, they go straight into the big bins. With the old machines, we had to dump them into those bins.

The customers love our new machines. Sure we still have the occasional irate customer, but for the most part they love them.

The general response from the Michiganders with the bottle bill seems pretty positive. People return maybe 20 or 30 cans and use that as a coupon of sorts when they are at the checkout. It helps out some with a limited income, but it's a great way for anybody to make extra money. For example, i'm going on vacation in May and i've found almost 650 cans ($65) just walking or driving down some of our back roads. This money will go to my fun money fund! :-)

The one bad thing about the bottle bill is that our store is very close to the Indiana state line. We have a big problem with people from IN returning their non-refundable cans for our 10 cent refund. We won't take them out of the store in cuffs over one or two non-refundable cans, but some of them try to return up to and more than 100 cans easily. Those are the ones we watch out for.

Whew! That was longer than one of my actual posts in my blog!

Bottle Bill Blog: Thanks for taking the time to post this. Most of us in the non-bottle bill states need to hear more of this.

Another Article in The Leaf-Chronicle Today

2006-03-23T12:21:00.000-05:00

Here is another article in the Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle about the Tennessee Bottle Bill. This one presents the lobbying groups' view against the bill. The article starts by saying that the Bottle Bill is a "forced deposit on drink containers". Next it "essentially amounts to a new consumer tax". Then it is "simply a tax on consumers". So, which is it? A deposit? "Essentially a tax"? or "Simply a tax"? I would like to see the author, Mr. Jimmy Settle, actually fact check what these guys are saying because I know for a fact that the Tennessee Bottle Bill will not increase the cost of a case of beer by $1.92 as he has quoted a lobbyist as saying. Did he follow up with a breakdown of the $1.92? Shouldn't he also, at the minimum, report that $1.20 of that is deposits that you would get back unless you throw the bottles on the side of the road or in the garbage? There are plenty of other statements that are wrong, but I will end with this one: A lobbyist is quoted as saying, "A comprehensive litter program targeting all litter and not just beverage containers is the only proven method to decrease litter." The problem is that this is a flat out lie! Bottle Bills are a proven method to decrease litter by between 30% and 64%. There are plenty of government studies to support this. I would love to hear from this lobbyist what scientific studies support his side. Mr. Settle does quote our hero Marge Davis at TNBottleBill.Org so that the paper can claim to be unbiased, but the article is very biased against the Bottle Bill and reads almost like an editorial.

You can check out the article yourself at Bottle Bill decried as new consumer tax

I would love to see comments in the comments section.

Article about Tennessee Bottle Bill in Clarksville Paper

2006-03-23T09:44:00.000-05:00

There is an article in the Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle today about the Tennessee Bottle Bill. The article has some great quotes from Rep. Johnson, who is pushing the bill. They interviewed a convenience store owner for the view from the other side and basically the owner said that it would not be very convenient to have to deal with all those bottles. The accounting, the public health... What ever happened to the CAN DO American attitude? Then he says that only 20% of roadside litter is beverage containers. The picture on the right side of the article clearly shows otherwise.

Nice article over all, but it would be nice if they would quote a Representative or Senator that is against the bill also. Does anyone have any information about which State Reps and Senators are against this bill?

Link to article: "Residents could pick up tab on 'Bottle Bill'"

Hearing on National Bottle Bill in US Senate July 11, 2002

2006-03-22T12:05:00.000-05:00

In February I posted a link to the floor statement of Senator Jim Jeffords regarding his proposed National Bottle Bill. In July of 2002 the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works had a hearing called "Recycling: Federal Procurement and Beverage Container Recycling Programs". The testimony and data presented in this hearing really show the great benefits of a Bottle Bill. I would recommend that everyone take a few minutes to look through this report. If you are not interested in the Federal Procurement section you should skip down toward the bottom. Be warned that this is a large PDF.

Recycling: Federal Procurement and Beverage Container Recycling Programs, Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, July 11, 2002

Tennessee Bottle Bill Coming Up For Discussion March 22?

2006-03-21T10:29:00.000-05:00

The new improved bottle bill in Tennessee is up for review again. Tomorrow, March 22 it will come in front of the House Government Operations Committee. Last year a similiar bill met a dramatic defeat in front of the Local Government Subcommittee of the House State and Local Government Committee. Rep. Russell Johnson (R-Loudon), the sponsor of this bill, wanted to present the merits of the bill since he didn't have the votes at that time to pass out of committee. Knoxville Rep. Harry Brooks (R-Knoxville) moved to discuss the bill. At this point no other legislators would second the motion to discuss.

I believe we all learned in our government class in junior high school that Democracy requires discussion.

To ensure that this bill at least gets discussed please visit the Tennessee Bottle Bill Project and contact your legislator or senator. Tell them that you want to clean up Tennessee's roads and streams.

Come Help Clean Up The Creek April 8

2006-03-19T10:25:00.000-05:00

The Creek without a Bottle Bill
Copyright Eric Durland

This is what happens when you don't have a bottle deposit. You can help to clean this up by volunteering to come out on April 8th or April 22nd to a clean up. If you live in the DC area a good organization to work with is the Alice Ferguson Foundation. Click here to find out more information. They are also spearheading the effort for a Trash Free Potomac River by 2013. This effort will require a Bottle Bill in order to succeed. A bottle bill is a good first step in reducing the amount of litter in our creeks toward the goal of zero trash in 2013.

Potomac River Clean Up April 8

2006-03-18T11:04:00.000-05:00

In conjunction with the Alice Ferguson Foundation and Friends of Rock Creek's Environment (FoRCE) there will be over 15 cleanup sites in the Rock Creek Watershed as well as lots of others through out the Potomac River Wathershed. Please go to the Alice Ferguson Foundation website for more information.

This cleanup will be very important for a bottle bill because we will be doing a survey of how much of the trash we pick up consists of beverage containers. One of the tactics used by the bottling industry to thwart bottle bills is to claim that beverage containers only make up a small fraction (they claim 7.8%, see posting below of letter from Tom Salter at Keep Knoxville Beautiful) of the garbage that we find on the side of the road and in creeks, etc. So, clean up site surveys can help to get accurate information to the front of the debate.

I will be organizing the site at Glenmont Park on Randolph Road in Wheaton, Maryland. (Behind the Wheaton-Glenmont Pool and Wheaton High School). If not my site there are plenty of other sites available.

Alice Ferguson Foundation

Article in Chattanoogan About Trout Unlimited Bottle Bill Event TONIGHT!

2006-03-16T11:51:00.000-05:00

The Chattanoogan has an article about the event tonight featuring Marge Davis talking about the Bottle Deposit Legislation that is being proposed in Tennessee. The event is taking place TONIGHT, March 16, 2006 at 6:30 pm at Greenway Farm in Hixson. All are invited. This is a great opportunity to learn all the details about how the Bottle Bill would work in Tennessee. Check out the article or call Trout Unlimited at (423) 432-2210 for more information.

For more information about Tennessee's proposed Bottle Bill go to:
Tennessee Bottle Bill Project
Or
Tennessee Bottle Bill Blog

Get Involved In Tennessee

2006-03-16T11:38:00.000-05:00

The proposed bottle bill in Tennessee is getting more attention this year. Help make sure that it gets enough attention to get passed! Write a letter to the editor or even just talk to your friends. Every little bit helps. The link below can help you get started.

Tennessee Bottle Bill Project

No Deposit in Maryland Means Bottles Deposited in Pond

2006-03-15T21:03:00.000-05:00

You can't see the beer bottles because they are all at the bottom. This pond is on Randolph Road in Wheaton, Maryland in Glenmont Local Park.

If you have a picture of bottles littering the landscape please send it to me and I will publish it. Please let me know where the picture was taken when you send it. My email is available at my profile.

A New Logo For The TN Bottle Bill Project?

2006-03-15T20:05:00.000-05:00

Isn't this great? This was sent to me by the gentleman running The Tennessee Bottle Bill Blog. I think it is great. Maybe we will be seeing it soon at TNBottleBill.Org. Until then you can enjoy it here.

Hawaii Bottle Bill After One Year

2006-03-15T13:59:00.000-05:00

In a press release from the Hawaii Department of Health the benefits and growing pains of the one year old Hawaii Bottle Bill are documented.

On containers covered in the bill the redemption rate went from 20% to 70%! A 50% redemption rate increase in six months! That means that approximately 650,000,000 bottles and cans were kept out of landfills, ditches, yards, creeks and the ocean in 2005 as a result of this new bottle bill.

In addition, Laurence Lau, the Department of Health Deputy Director of Environmental Health Administration, added that “They(citizens) are participating because it means cleaner streets, parks and beaches,” said Lau. “It also allows schools and
nonprofit groups a fundraising resource that, thus far, has been very popular.”

June 2005 Poll Shows Huge Support For NY Deposit Law

2006-03-14T17:05:00.000-05:00

Thought I would add this information as a reference for everyone out there attempting to pass a bottle bill. The bottle deposit bill in New York is supported by over 62% of the population. Only 27% would support eliminating deposits. Once a bottle bill is passed there is strong support in keeping it and expanding it since people can see the positive effects.

Here is the pertinent information:

"More than half of New York voters (52 percent) support expanding the bottle bill to include deposits on juice, water, sports drinks and iced tea, while only 27 percent would support eliminating deposits on all beverage containers and instituting a new tax on recyclable or litter-generating products. One in ten would keep the law as is with no changes."

Siena Poll Link

New Tennessee Bottle Bill Blog

2006-03-14T10:09:00.000-05:00

GOOD NEWS! There is a new Tennessee Bottle Bill Blog! Not much on it yet, but a good article about how the bottle bill in Massachusetts directly contributed to a decrease in childhood lacerations by 60%. Pretty big number. Check out the site and we look forward to seeing more from him in the future.

Eric

Chattanoogan Article by Patricia Paris

2006-03-13T22:37:00.000-05:00

Patricia’s Porch Talk: Ninety-Nine Bottles
by Patricia Paris
posted February 10, 2006

Patricia Paris
‘Take one down, pass it around…!”

Tradition is defined as ‘generation to generation transfer with no official encouragement,’ much like the camp songs of our youth.

The ‘Ninety-Nine Bottles’ song is so old I was unable to track its origins, save a couple of ‘writer unknown’ footnotes, yet it remains alive and lively. Do you think its author would have written the lyrics differently in USA 2006, fingers flying on a keyboard under the spotlight of a gooseneck halogen desk lamp instead of the laborious transfer of ink to quill to parchment? Would a modern songwriter of a song about bottles not grow weary of those repetitive lyrics and write instead about the growing number of bottles tossed into lakes and on roadsides, or left strewn in public parks? Would plastic shopping bags and super-sized drinking cups not be included in the song as well?

Some states have taken a huge bite out of their trash heaps by proposing a deposit on bottles. They guessed correctly that many intelligent, reasonable people would religiously round up their bottles and return them if it would put money in their pockets. With the passing of bottle bills, gathering and returning bottles provides a source of income for the needy, the greedy, and your everyday budget-conscious citizen, while diminishing the number of unsightly bottles and cans along rivers, roadsides, and parks as much as 50 percent.
Rep. Russell Johnson and Sen. Randy McNally are once again trying to combat this growing problem by drafting a new version of the bottle bill that includes several changes from the 2005 bill. The 2006 bill stipulates that $10 million of unclaimed deposits will go to the County Litter Grants Program, increases the container handling fee to 3¢, and increases the maximum container size to two liters.
It boggles the mind wondering how this bill was ever defeated in 2005. Pickup programs haven’t been able to compete with the growing trash heaps. Educating the public apparently hasn’t worked either; the trash is still there and at unacceptable levels.

The bottle bill is not to be confused with a tax. It is not a tax. In simple terms, it means that many bottles will never hit the ground and that for every bottle-tossing jerk, someone much smarter will come along and not only pick behind them (at no expense to us) but also make a few cents on it. The proposed deposit would apply to beer and soft drinks as well as bottled water, juices, and sports drinks with the resultant goal, based on existing programs, of boosting Tennessee’s overall redemption rate to as much as 70-80 percent.

If you, the concerned citizens of our beautiful state, share these concerns, I hope you will speak out by expressing them to your legislators.

The ‘Bottles On The Wall’ camp song will be around for many generations to come, but perhaps a young, poetic mind will pen a litter-free version that collects the deposit on all ninety-nine.

Copyright 2006 Patricia Paris
Contact: patriciaparis@gmail.com
Patricia Paris is an author/columnist from East Tennessee
Member: Tennessee Mountain Writers, Int’l Women Writers Association, Tennessee Writers Alliance, Chattanooga Writers Guild

Thanks to Patricia Paris for permission to print this article. Here is the link again:

Ninety Nine Bottles

Tennessee Bottle Bill Project

2006-03-13T10:40:00.000-05:00

Tennesssee Bottle Bill Project has provided a link to the Bottle Bill Blog. Thanks to them for this link. If you live in Tennessee (or are just interested in finding out more about what is happening with the Bottle Bill there) please check out their website.

www.tnbottlebill.org

Here is a link: Tennessee Bottle Bill Project

Also there is a link in the links section.

A New Improved Tennessee Bottle Bill

2006-03-13T08:50:00.000-05:00

The Chattanoogan has a story on the new improved TN Bottle Bill being introduced this year. This bill would very friendly to retailers, distributors and bottlers.

The story goes on to say that, "State Rep. Russell Johnson (R-Loudon) and Sen. Randy McNally (R-Oak Ridge) are cosponsors of the proposal to reduce litter and increase recycling by putting a five-cent deposit on glass, plastic and aluminum beverage containers. According to Davis, the measure should reduce Tennessee’s beverage-container litter by at least 80 percent and overall litter by 40 percent. It will also increase Tennessee’s recycling rate for these containers from 24 percent to a projected 85 percent. With Tennesseans buying 4 billion sodas, beers, bottled waters and other drinks each year, that’s 3.4 billion containers that won’t end up in the landfill or worse, on the landscape."

Here is the full story: Chattanoogan Bottle Bill Story

This bill makes sense. Now is the time for Tennessee to stand up and clean up litter.

Tennessee Bottle Bill and Keep Knoxville Beautiful

2006-03-09T23:30:00.000-05:00

Here is my letter to the Officers and Directors of Keep Knoxville Beautiful regarding their decision to not support the proposed Tennessee Bottle Bill. It will explain the situation, but if you want more information about this organization you can go to Keep Knoxville Beautiful. For more information about the Tennessee Bottle Bill please go to TNBottleBill.Org. Please be sure that you are at the correct site. For even more information about Keep Knoxville Beautiful check out this page: TNBottleBillFAQs Pay particular attention to the questions: "Keep Tennessee Beautiful is opposed to bottle bills?" and "Why would Keep Tennessee Beautiful not want a bottle bill?"

Officers and Directors
Keep Knoxville Beautiful
"Promoting a cleaner, greener, more beautiful community"

Dear Officers and Directors,

About a week ago I wrote to your organization regarding my disappointment in your decision to not support the proposed Tennessee Bottle Bill. Below is the response I received from Mr. Tom Salzer, your Executive Director and my reply to him.

I would also direct your attention to www.tnbottlebill.org and, in particular, the contention that www.tnbottlebill.com, www.tennesseebottlebill.org and www.tennesseebottlebill.com are all being run by your Executive Director. I am curious to learn from anyone in your organization if he has been authorized by the board of Keep Knoxville Beautiful to organize and run this activity or if he is acting on his own.

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

Eric Durland

Tom's letter to me:

Tom Salter wrote:
We received your web form comments on our board's position on the Tennessee bottle bill.

Sorry I didn't reply sooner but since you didn't put in your email address it took me a few minutes to find it.

I know you are committed to passing a bottle bill in Maryland and wish you well. Our board spent a lot of time looking at this issue and they got past the data provide by the Container Reycling Institute and started looking at litter and solid waste data collected by other groups. We certainly did not approach this in a flippant or casual way. This is very serious business. My board believes there is a cost to the run the program from handling fees paid on all containers and from deposits paid that are never refunded. They looked at this cost relative to the amount of litter in roadside litter - about 7.8% according to waste industry experts (not the Container Recycling Institute). They also looked at the percentage of bottles and cans in the total waste stream - about 5% according to the EPA. Nobody disagrees that the program has a huge impact on recycling bottles and cans but that is all it does. My board is committed to increasing the rates of recycling of all types of material. One of their favorite examples is to look at a pickle jar, a beer bottle and a wine bottle side by side. They are all valuable clear glass to a recycler, but under the TN bottle bill only the beer bottle is valued. This is the type of issue that is very problematic for the TN bottle bill and the people who take the time to look at its nuances. Obviously the bill promoters have to make choices and they have to go with something. We don't believe it will have the impact on litter or overall recycling rates implied by bill promoters. For the record, during this fiscal year we have received one $500 contribution from a beer company and one $1,000 contribution from a soft drink company. Our total budget is about $100,000 a year. This is about 1.5% of our budget. I wish you the best in pusuing your issues in Maryland.

Tom Salter
Executive Director
Keep Knoxville Beautiful
Mail: P.O. Box 385, Knoxville, TN 37901
Street: 100 S. Gay Street, Suite
103
Phone: 865-521-6957
www.keepknoxvillebeautiful.org

DON'T THROW DOWN ON K-TOWN!

Here is my reply:

Mr. Tom Salter
Executive Director
Keep Knoxville Beautiful
"Promoting a Cleaner, Greener, More Beautiful Community"

Dear Mr. Salter,

Thank you for your reply. While I understand your arguments, I strongly disagree with your argument.

You say the board "got past" the data provided by the Container Recycling Institute (www.container-recycling.org). It sounds to me like you ignored their data. Your board then looked at litter and solid waste information from "other groups." Could you forward the information from the other groups to me so I can see what other information your board used to reach the conclusion you reached? Even so, I would think that proper analysis would include a range of statistics, not just picking the most favorable statistics that will bolster the argument that a bottle bill will cost too much, and will not reduce enough litter.

COST: Of course there is a cost to run the program. I don't think anyone is arguing that there is no cost to a Bottle Deposit Bill. The handling fee is just that: a fee to keep the containers from ending up filling landfills, clogging creeks, and cluttering roadsides. Regarding the deposits that are not refunded, this is only a cost for people that do not redeem them, and instead toss them in the garbage or out the window. This means that the people that choose to not return the bottles are paying the costs associated with that choice. This as an opportunity cost for any enterprising person or child to be incentivized to pick up litter that people choose to throw on the ground.

BEVERAGE CONTAINER WASTE: Now let's talk about 5% of waste being beverage containers. You are talking about 5% of waste by volume, which may seem small. The thing is that this 5% represents a huge amount of wasted resources. Particularly since most of the heavy waste that ends up in landfills are yard waste. If we were to capture this waste with a National Bottle Bill (like Senator Jim Jeffords has proposed and is currently being proposed in Tennessee) and recycle it we are talking about the equivalent of over 30 million barrels of oil saved just from recycling aluminum cans. Returned and recycled plastic would represent at least another 7 million barrels of oil saved per year. And, again, what is the problem with reducing the amount of waste by 5%? How does your board justify not reducing waste by any percentage within the idea of "promoting a cleaner, greener, more beautiful community" which is your mission statement?

BEVERAGE CONTAINER LITTER: You say that only 7.8% of litter is beverage containers. I would really appreciate seeing this study since Keep Knoxville Beautiful’s own studies from cleanups in Knox County, done in conjunction with the Tennessee Izaak Walton League, show that 26.8% of litter was beverage containers. But even if the 7.8% number is the correct number and if a Bottle Bill only captured half of total beverage container litter, this bill would still reduce overall litter by 3.9%. How does reducing litter by even 3.9% not fit into "Promoting a cleaner, greener, more beautiful community"? I think that the 7.8% number for percent of litter being beverage bottles is low based on many other studies, especially those done by Keep Knoxville Beautiful and the Tennessee Izaak Walton League and, frankly, just looking at roadsides around the country. Other states' and government studies (available at www.container-recycling.org) show bottles constituting 30% of litter, just like your studies have shown. The thing is that either way, whether beverage containers represent 7.8% or 30-40% like many other studies show, a Bottle Bill still represents a big step forward in reducing the amount of litter. Once again I ask, how does your contention that only 7.8% of litter on roadsides is from beverage containers fit your organization’s mission to “Promote a cleaner, greener, more beautiful community”?

I'm glad to see that you agree that "nobody disagrees that the program has a huge impact on recycling bottles and cans." You then go on to say that "your board is interested in increasing the (recycling) rates of all types of material". Great! That should be everyone's goal, and targeting one product at a time is a viable option. It makes further sense to start this reduction effort with the products that are the least costly and most beneficial to capture. Start here, and then Keep Knoxville Beautiful can target wine bottles and pickle jars. Step by step, you will, in fact, "promote a cleaner, greener, more beautiful community".

You then say that, "We don't believe it will have the impact on litter or overall recycling rates implied by bill promoters." One question is “Why not?” And even so, if the bill were to only work half as well as the promoters say—even if it only accomplishes what you do believe it will accomplish—it will still reduce litter, reduce waste, and most importantly lead the way to communities in Knoxville thinking, living, and promoting a cleaner, greener, more beautiful Knoxville. In sum, the bottle bill makes sense.

I'm glad to see that only 1.5% of your money comes from the bottling industry. None of us would like to see a common sense bill get voted down as a result of lobbying by the bottling industry. We would all like to see this bill judged on its merits, and not on its industry ties.

While I am living in Maryland right now and working towards a Maryland Bottle Bill such as the bottle bill that is currently under consideration in Tennessee, I would like to let you know my connections to the State of Tennessee. My father grew up in Jefferson City and my grandfather and grandmother are both buried there. I have also spent a lot of time hiking and kayaking in Tennessee, and my wife attended college in Nashville, and spent four years teaching environmental education there. While I might not have any influence in your fair state, I would still like to see your legislature, governor, and citizens benefit from a Bottle Bill, because it really will "promote a cleaner, greener, more beautiful community."

Sincerely,

Eric Durland
Silver Spring, Maryland

Boycott Coca-Cola and Pepsi

2006-03-08T16:13:00.000-05:00

Please read the letter below: (I also sent it to Pepsi, And it is now 3/15 and I have been Coke and Pepsi free since I sent it.)

Dear Coca-Cola,

I am writing to applaud your efforts to use 10% recycled content in your PET bottles. This is a great step forward to help reduce our dependence on foreign oil and to help out the environment.

Even with this stride forward I regret to inform you that I am deciding to boycott your company.

I believe that Coke should be leading the charge about recycling and reuse. Coke should be the biggest supporter of a National Bottle Deposit Bill. Instead you are producing your product with no thought past the profits.

This boycott will end when I am able to buy a 100% recycled bottle from your company or if Coke were to support a National Bottle Deposit Bill.

Sincerely,

Eric Durland

If you are interested in joining in please go to:

Coca-Cola Web Feedback

and write them a letter. Then all you have to do is stop drinking any coke products.

Thank you for your support!

For a more organized Coke and Pepsi Boycott go here: Coke and Pepsi Petition

I found this campaign after I sent my letter to Coke and Pepsi. This is a bit more organized and if you feel that you want to do something about litter and the environment right now this is a great place to start.

Aluminum Cans

2006-03-03T16:51:00.000-05:00

Aluminum cans represent the most clear and present opportunity to reduce our dependence on foreign oil. Every year the equivalent of 20 million barrels of oil is lost as a result of not recycling the 55 billion cans that were thrown away.

It really is a no brainer. A bottle deposit bill would capture this lost resource and reduce our dependence on foreign oil.

See the report below for lots more information about how aluminum effects all of us.

Foiling the Aluminum Industry

Senator Jim Jeffords Presents The Facts

2006-02-27T17:57:00.000-05:00

In November 2003 Senator Jim Jeffords introduced the National Beverage Producer Responsibility Act. This was to be a law that would require all states to reach an 80% recycle rate on beverage containers. This is probably the first place to look for information on the benefits of a bottle deposit bill.

Here are some excerpts from his floor statement:

Mr. President, like every loyal Red Sox fan, I believe that next season, my team will be victorious. I bring this same level of optimism to my efforts to reduce the amount of wasted resources and litter caused by discarded beverage containers.

I rise today to introduce the National Beverage Producer Responsibility Act of 2003, the Bottle Bill, convinced that this is our year. I have long been an advocate for increased recycling.

Vermont passed its Bottle Bill in 1972 when I was state Attorney General. In 1975, during my first Session as a Representative in the U.S. House, I introduced a national Bottle Bill, closely resembling Vermont's very successful example.

Last Congress, as Chairman of the Environment and Public Works Committee, I convened the first Congressional hearing in many years on recycling, in which the Committee heard expert testimony on the merits of a national program to recycle beverage containers.

The reason that I continue to push this issue is simple – it makes sense. Beverage container recycling is one of the simplest ways to see a dramatic improvement in our environment. As this chart shows, 120 billion – let me repeat, 120 billion with a "B" – beverage containers were wasted by not being recycled in 2001.

If we could raise the nation's recycling rate to 80 percent, we would save the equivalent of 300 million barrels of oil over the next ten years and eliminate 4 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually. States that have enacted bottle bills also have benefited by reducing road side litter by up to 84 percent.

These savings may sound unrealistic. But, in Vermont alone, recycling efforts in 2001 reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 94,000 metric tons of carbon equivalent. That's equal to approximately two-thirds of all industrial carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel combustion in Vermont and 4.5 percent of greenhouse gas emissions. To me, those savings sound remarkable.

Why a refundable deposit program? Thirty years of experience demonstrates that refundable deposit bottle bills are dramatically more effective than voluntary efforts. As this chart illustrates, the ten states that have implemented deposit laws recycle more containers than all of the other 40 states combined. While I applaud curbside and other voluntary recycling efforts, the 71 percent of Americans who live in non-bottle bill states account for only 28 percent of recycled beverage containers.

My bill, the National Beverage Producer Responsibility Act of 2003, strikes a balance between the wishes of industry, the authority of individual states, and the needs of a healthy environment. Unlike traditional bottle bills, this legislation would fully harness market incentives by setting an 80 percent recovery performance standard and allowing industry the freedom to design the most efficient deposit-return program to reach the standard. States that already have bottle bills will retain their authority to continue their programs in their own individual ways as long as they meet the national performance standard.

This past Saturday, November 15, 2003, was America Recycles Day in Vermont and across the country. Two years ago, to help commemorate the 2001 America Recycles Day, I participated in a public service announcement to raise awareness regarding the need to buy recycled goods. The importance of recycling deserves, however, more than a 30-second public service announcement and more than its own day on the calendar.

For it to work, recycling must be a commitment of all of ours each and every day of the year. Vermont's commitment to recycling has provided some impressive statistics. For example, in 2001, 31 percent of Vermont's municipal waste was diverted from landfills. That year, 13,260 tons of containers were recycled through soft drink and beer distributors and materials recovery facilities. The benefit of these programs is, of course, that they help keep our Green Mountains green.

I commend and thank Governor Jim Douglas for his many recent initiatives to encourage and improve the efficiency of recycling across Vermont. For example, under Governor Douglas' leadership, Vermont has implemented beverage container recycling programs at 20 state information centers. In the first phase, in less than two months, over 200 pounds of aluminum, glass, and plastic were recovered from 51,000 visitors passing through one such information center in Williston, Vermont.

And today, the U.S. Senate's other Vermonter, Patrick Leahy, joins me and Senators Joseph Lieberman, Daniel Akaka, and John Kerry as original cosponsors as I introduce the National Beverage Producer Responsibility Act of 2003.

Link to National Bottle Bill Info At Senator Jefford's Office