March 2, 2003
LOWELL SUN
Border towns fight changes to bottle bill
BOSTON Gov. Mitt Romney's proposal to expand the bottle bill is being sharply criticized by businesses and lawmakers in border towns, who fear it will chase even more customers into tax-free New Hampshire.
Romney wants to require deposits on all beverages sold in glass or plastic containers, including water, juice, sports drinks, wine and hard liquor.
Currently, the deposit is only required on beer, wine coolers, and carbonated beverages such as Coke and Pepsi. The expansion would raise about $12 million for the cash-strapped commonwealth. The deposit would be 5 cents for the nonalcoholic beverages and 15 cents for wine and liquor bottles larger than a pint.
Many Greater Lowell lawmakers worry that the new charge would drive even more customers across the border to New Hampshire.
"On the surface it looks like a good clean-environment proposal, but I represent border communities and this will be a very serious problem for my local stores,'' said Sen. Susan Tucker, D-Andover.
Reps. Kevin Murphy, D-Lowell, and Colleen Garry, D-Dracut, have been fighting to repeal the bottle bill, never mind expand it.
"It's hurt our area already and this expansion will push even more people over the border,'' Garry said. "It won't create the recycling that they want. People won't return them and they'll be paying more into the system.''
One liquor store owner said not only is the plan antibusiness, but anticonsumer.
Joseph Aubut, co-owner of Aubut's Liquors in Tewksbury, said the plan is so broad that it will become difficult for consumers to handle. Aubut noted that many consumers are private about how much and what kind of alcohol they drink and will simply throw out the bottles. He also believes consumers won't have any place to store the larger recyclables.
"The people proposing this know full well the consumer will say it ain't worth the 15 cents,'' Aubut said. "It's a form of a tax add it to the other reasons to go over the border.
"The original reason for the bottle bill is to keep litter off the street. Are you going to see a bottle of Kendall Jackson on the side of the road? It's money-driven and that added burden will fall on the customer.''
Katie Cahill of the Executive Office of Environmental Affairs said the administration considered the economic impact on the border communities but doesn't think the expanded bottle bill will harm businesses.
"I don't think we're anticipating that these changes will contribute in any significant way to business leaving the state,'' Cahill said.
Cahill said it only makes sense to add other beverages to the bottle bill. She said they weren't included in the original bill 20 years ago because bottled water, sports drinks and juices weren't as popular.
The state is expected to make $12 million from consumers who pay the deposit, but then don't return bottles to reclaim the money.
In return, the state would also marginally increase the handling fee for redemption centers welcome news to center operators, who have had trouble making money.
Mike Zarella, co-owner of New England Recyclers, which owns two redemption centers in Lowell and one in Tewksbury and Methuen, said the centers haven't received an increase in 10 years. The centers collect cans and bottles from consumers and return the 5-cent deposit. The centers then deliver the cans and bottles back to the suppliers, where they receive 7.25 cents per bottle for a profit of 2.25 cents.
Under Romney's proposal, the centers will now make 2.75 per can or bottle.
"Expanding the bottle bill is great but we do need more space and more manpower for the trucking and that costs money,'' Zarella said.
Jennifer Fenn's e-mail address is jfenn@lowellsun.com.
