January 16, 2008
Grocers, residents talk 10-cent bottle deposit
By Rob Daniel
A proposal by Gov. Chet Culver to double Iowa's 5-cent deposit on bottles and cans has support in Iowa City and Johnson County.
Under the plan, which was formally introduced Tuesday by Culver during his Condition of the State address, the state's 30-year-old bottle deposit law would be expanded to include more types of containers. Of the 10 cents that would be collected, consumers would keep 8 cents. The other two pennies in the plan, which is expected to be debated by the Legislature during this year's session, would help fund the state's Resource Enhancement and Protection environmental program and reimburse grocers and companies that collect the redeemed cans.
The change cannot come soon enough for grocers such as Scott Thompson, store director of the Hy-Vee store at 812 South First Ave., Iowa City. He said the current bottle deposit law is dated and does not help cover the extra costs he has to pay for the program. He said his Hy-Vee store and others in the area rent the machines and other equipment used to collect the bottles and cans. He also has one employee dedicated to maintaining the redemption area, cleaning the floors and emptying redemption machines.
"It's a terribly expensive proposition," Thompson said. "The extra penny would help offset our costs."
Troy Willard, co-owner of the Can Shed in Cedar Rapids and Iowa City, said he was unsure of what the plan's impact on recycling efforts would be. He said he and other grocers have been lobbying for an increase in handling fees for years. However, he said he is not sure whether an increase in the deposit would cause people to not buy more bottled drinks.
"A raise in the deposit makes people pay more attention to what they're paying," he said. "We have to make sure any change in the law would be backed by the public."
Consumers at the First Avenue Hy-Vee in Iowa City were split on the benefits of the plan.
"Environmentally, look at what (the bottle bill) did to the environment," said Kathy Hansen of Iowa City as she deposited her cans into the redemption machines. "(The extra money will) help keep places like this going."
Kathy Colony of North Liberty said any increase in the deposit "doesn't make sense."
"If you're going to take the trouble to take these (bottles) back, if you're going to pay the dime, you want (all of it) back," she said.
Dee Weiss of Riverside said the deposit was "kind of a pain," but said the deposit at any price did not bother her.
"I'd just assume give the money to someone who could use it," she said.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
Reach Rob Daniel at 339-7360 or rdaniel@press-citizen.com.
http://www.press-citizen.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080116/NEWS01/801160312/1079
