The association’s updated policy endorses container deposit systems that allow recyclers to participate, set higher deposit values and allow for curbside materials to be included.
By Megan Quinn, Waste Dive
The Solid Waste Association of North America has updated its policy position to support deposit return systems as a key to increasing collection rates and reducing litter. Its policy focuses on “single-use” beverage containers.
SWANA supports bottle bill policies as long as they meet characteristics such as ensuring recyclers are allowed to participate in the system, allowing ownership of covered materials to be retained “by whomever possesses it” and designing the program so any generated funds are invested back into the system.
SWANA also advocates for bottle bills that allow material collected curbside to be returned through deposit systems and have deposit values that are high enough to incentivize consumers to return the containers. It also calls for encouraging container designs that work effectively with existing recycling and reuse systems.
Which states have bottle bills? California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, Oregon, and Vermont. Oregon was the first state to successfully pass a bottle deposit law in 1971, Vermont was the second state to pass a bottle deposit law in 1973, and Hawaii was the most recent in 2002.
SWANA says the national conversation around container deposit systems has gained momentum in recent years, prompting the association to bring its own policy “into the 21st century, especially considering potential federal legislation on the topic,” said Allison Trulock, the SWANA board’s technical division director, in a statement.
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