May 9, 2007
Senate approves plan to add water containers to bottle bill
By DAVE COLLINS
Associated Press Writer
HARTFORD, Conn. -- Calling it a major step in helping to improve the environment, state Senators on Wednesday voted to expand Connecticut's bottle redemption bill to include plastic containers for water, juice, sports drinks and flavored tea.
The Senate approved the bill 26-7 and sent it to the House of Representatives. Similar legislation failed the past two years.
Connecticut's current bottle and can redemption bill, approved in 1978, places a 5-cent deposit only on soda and beer containers. Lawmakers say much has changed in the past 29 years, including the proliferation of bottled water and sports drinks.
"Our consumption habits have changed, so the bottle bill needs to change to meet our habits," said Sen. Bill Finch, D-Bridgeport. "By attaching the nickel deposit, the people of the state and the private market will cause all of these bottles to be handled in the proper way."
Finch said up to a billion additional bottles in Connecticut would be recycled because of the bill.
Opponents of the measure said they worried it would hurt small grocery stores that already have problems dealing with a high number of returnable containers. They also said they were concerned that manufacturers would pass on the cost of adhering to the law to consumers.
"For some of the smaller mom and pop supermarkets, smaller chains that are just in Connecticut, they're going to have their hands full just finding places to store just these bottles of water," said Sen. John Kissel, R-Enfield, who voted against the proposal.
Sen. John McKinney, R-Fairfield, said the expanded bottle bill will go a long way toward helping the state meet its goal of recycling 58 percent of solid waste. Lawmakers said 30 percent of household waste is now recycled, but bottle redemption results in the recycling of 60 to 70 percent of bottles and cans.
McKinney said the bill would help small retailers by increasing their handling fees for dealing with returnable containers. It would also set up a tax credit for businesses that refund more than they take in with the 5 cent deposits.
The bill would exempt dairy products.
Finch said recycling aluminum cans takes 99 percent less energy than the mining and production process.
"It's going to help us deal with our greenhouse gas emissions," he said.
Senate Minority Leader Louis DeLuca, R-Woodbury, believes the bill would result in higher beverage prices, and he said he would like to see more promotion of recycling. He said only 2 percent of all bottles in Connecticut's waste stream are water bottles.
"We're creating a whole new system for that," said DeLuca, who opposed the bill. "I believe there's a better way to help the environment."
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/connecticut/ny-bc-ct-xgr--bottlebill0509may09,0,4100167.story?coll=ny-region-apconnecticut
