Apr 25, 2005

Bill to add 5-cent deposit to cans, bottles faces long odds
JIM RITTER, Environment Reporter

A long-dormant proposal to boost recycling with a five-cent deposit on bottles and cans has resurfaced in Springfield.

Consumers would pay an extra nickel for every bottle or can made of aluminum, glass, plastic or steel. Thus, a six-pack of soda or beer would cost an extra 30 cents.

Milk jugs would be exempt.

Consumers could get their money back by returning bottles and cans to grocery stores or other redemption centers.

Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn said Sunday he will push for a bottling bill during the spring legislative session.

"I'm excited it's happening," said Betsy Vandercook of the Chicago Recycling Coalition. "There hasn't been a serious proposal in quite awhile."

But Quinn said the bill faces long odds.

"Powerful interests -- bottling interests in particular -- don't want it to pass," he said.

A hassle for stores?

In the 10 states with bottle bills, residents recycle an average of 490 containers per year, at a net cost of 1.5 cents per container. In nondeposit states, residents recycle 191 containers per year, at a cost of 1.3 cents per container, the Container Recycling Institute said.

But beverage industry trade groups argue that deposits would be a hassle for consumers. Moreover, deposits would undermine curbside and blue bag recycling programs, which would make less money from the sale of recyclables, especially lucrative aluminum cans.

A bottle bill also would be a headache for grocers, which would have to store, sort and handle dirty, returned containers. Trucks and warehouses would have to make room for empty containers, and beverage trucks would make more fuel-wasting trips.

Confusing to consumers?

Finally, opponents say, consumers might be confused on what materials to put in recycling bins and blue bags, and what to bring into redemption centers.

Quinn said a bottle bill would cut down on litter, because tossing a soda can out of the window 0would be like throwing away a nickel.

It also would encourage scavengers to pick up bottles and cans from roadsides and parks.