November 29, 2007

The Record
Opinion

A deposit law that could work
By DAVID YENNIOR

ASSEMBLYWOMAN Valerie Vainieri Huttle, D-Englewood, deserves gratitude for her vision and leadership in introducing the Smart Container Act, a measure to require deposits and a redemption system for all beverage containers bought by individuals.

Here are some facts about the act:

  • "Smart container" reflects the bar code technology available on every bottle for easy accounting.
  • Deposits would be fully refundable and, therefore, are only an incentive to increase recycling rates.
  • Deposits would be on throwaways, not on refillable containers, and encourage the use of refillables; 11 states -- including New York and Delaware -- with deposit laws enjoy recycling rates two to three times greater than New Jersey's. Michigan's 10-cent deposits result in a 97 percent recycling rate on the containers covered.
  • Reverse vending machines would provide receipts to be used in stores or exchanged for cash. They are simple to use.
  • Containers purchased in New Jersey could be returned to any store or redemption center in the state.
  • Recyclables would still go in recycling bins at fast-food stores, parks and government buildings.
  • Containers consumed in restaurants would remain the responsibility of the establishments.
  • Deposits and redemption would mean increased recycling, leading to reduced municipal costs in tipping fees for trash disposal.
  • The incentive of deposits would encourage a recycling and environmentally conscious mentality.
  • Three-quarters of the unclaimed deposits would go toward environmental projects and education programs. The remainder would go to redemption centers and retailers to offset costs.
  • An unpaid nine-member advisory council, to include distributors, retailers, municipal recycling coordinators and redemption center operators, would work out all of the bugs in the system.
  • There would be a one-year phase-in period for consumers and retailers to adjust to the law.
  • National container recycling legislation imposing a deposit on all bottles and cans in the United States was introduced in the House of Representatives earlier this month, but New Jersey would be exempt if the state's deposit law were in place.

Mandatory recycling has been in effect in New Jersey for decades but is not working. As many as 70 percent of bottles and cans end up in our burgeoning landfills or incinerators. Millions of plastic water bottles wind up in our landfills.

Increased recycling would reduce carbon dioxide emissions, water usage and energy consumed making new aluminum, glass and plastic containers from raw materials. It would help preserve the Jersey Shore and state waterways. It would contribute to reduction in global warming. It would reduce our dependency on foreign oil.

New Jersey could lead the way with the best container recycling bill in the country.

David Yennior is recycling issues coordinator for the New Jersey Sierra Club.

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