Skip over global navigation

Lawmakers Eye Unredeemed Bottle Deposits

BY CHRIS LEHMAN

Salem, OR  May 11, 2009 4:20 a.m.

Two lawmakers in Salem say Oregon should stake a claim on millions of dollars worth of unredeemed bottle deposits.  The bill gets its first hearing Monday.  Salem correspondent Chris Lehman reports.


Representative Michael Dembrow and Senator Jackie Dingfelder say that every time someone fails to return an empty soda can or beer bottle, that nickel ends up in the pocket of beverage distributors.

The two Democrats have introduced a bill that would divert that cash into state coffers.  

Distributors say they use the money to run the bottle recycling program, but Dembrow doesn’t buy that.

Michael Dembrow:  “The program was designed to be supported by their ability to sell recycled plastic, glass, and especially aluminum.  The system was never designed to be supported by the unredeemed deposits.”

Distributors aren’t required to disclose how much money they keep in unredeemed bottle deposits, but the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality estimates it could be as much as $30 million a year.

 The bill faces an uphill battle.  So does a separate measure to expand the bottle bill to juice, sports drinks and iced tea.


Online:

Oregon House Bill 3465 , which diverts unclaimed nickels into the state’s general fund

Oregon House Bill 2184 , which expands the scope of the current bottle bill

© 2009 OPB

del.icio.usdel.icio.us digg.comdigg newsvinenewsvine

Comments

May 11, 2009
7:13 a.m.
Better idea: Make it as easy to Redeem bottles and cans as it is to Buy them. Many of us won't wait behind a line of bums with shopping carts full of redeemables to get to one of the Working machines. So we end up just giving them away, even though we can use the money as much as They can. Often times many of the machines are not working. Fix this system before considering taxing it further.

— Posted by notoriouskelly

May 27, 2009
11:50 p.m.
I think it would benefit everyone if there were a change in redeemable containers. I think anything that a person can drink, that comes in a bottle or can should have a deposit on it . Including hard liquor containers, wine containers, sports drinks,and milk containers. There would be a lot less garbage along the highways and a lot more money in peoples pockets, and a lot less containers in the landfills. ----- Posted by Granny777

— Posted by Granny777


Post a Comment

You must be logged in to post.

Login or register to set up an account.

© 2009, Oregon Public Broadcasting.

Search · Inside OPB · Report Reception Problems · Privacy Policy · Terms of Use · Contact Us · Pressroom · Employment · Community · Audio Streams · RSS Feeds


PBSNPRPRIBBC