February 2, 2008
Opinion
We need deposits on beverage containers
By Paul Heumphreus
Fellow taxpayers, I need your help.
Missouri roadways are littered with cans and bottles, spoiling our state's quaint beauty. We can correct this with a simple solution: We need deposits on beverage containers.
The Missouri Department of Transportation's "No MOre Trash" campaign lists reasons people litter, including inconvenience, ignorance of environmental impact, arrogance and anti-establishment statements. Another excuse is missing from their list: chucking empty beer bottles out of a car gets rid of evidence that might trigger a sobriety check. Glass shards from these "eagle droppings" frequently pierce my bike tires, making it painfully clear this excuse is used a lot.Not only is litter destructive and disgusting, it is expensive. Roadside cleanup drains $5.8 million from MoDOT that could be used to help improve our roads. You, my fellow taxpayers, are left holding the bill.
A bottle bill could shift these costs to those who cause the mess. Unredeemed deposits could go directly to trash cleanup, offsetting expenses. The offset would be significant; California collects more than $200 million in unredeemed deposits.
A deposit needs to catch our attention. Michigan chose 10 cents, a very tolerable value, yet very effective. A 12-pack of your favorite thirst quencher costs $1.20 extra, which is less than the cost of a single soda from the pop machine near my desk. Return the containers, and you get that $1.20 back.
A dime is trivial, but would attract bounty hunters of all ages, especially young ones that should develop good recycling habits. With no deposit, discarded bottles lie by the road for weeks. With a 10-cent bounty, kids would scramble to grab a bottle before their friends could claim it.
A generation ago when deposits were common, competition from other kids was so fierce that we were excited if we found a bottle or two. Collecting a refund for cleaning up litter fed our sense of civic pride and reinforced our good deed with a tasty treat bought from our earnings.
Implementing a bottle bill takes perseverance. Columbia had a bottle bill for 20 years until the city built a material recycling facility (MRF). This law was repealed in 2002 following a campaign, funded by retail grocery chains and the bottling industry, that misled voters into believing a bottle bill was no longer beneficial once the MRF was operational. Sadly, community expectations of voluntary recycling were overly optimistic, and the litter scattered across Columbia increased following the repeal. Even though the benefits from Columbia's bottle bill are obvious, the odds against successfully implementing this on a local level are high. This needs to be a large-scale policy enacted statewide.
Several states have proven bottle bills are a great idea. Iowa, our northern border state, has reaped the benefits for nearly three decades. Iowa estimates that energy savings from its bottle bill could heat nearly 43,000 households.
I began contacting county and state officials in November. I am shocked by how many of my e-mails have been ignored. I am also impressed by the support I received from the few that are corresponding with me.
According to Melissa DeStephano of state Sen. Scott Rupp's staff, no statewide bottle bill has been attempted in Missouri. She noted it would be difficult to make a sweeping statewide law, and directed me to start shoring up local support. My voice alone carries no weight; this is where I need your help.
Ask your local officials for a resolution requesting state action. Send this column to your colleagues across Missouri, and have them request similar resolutions from their local officials. The more people that are aware of the benefits, the better the chances are that we can succeed.
Contact state legislators to emphasize the importance of this bill. Sen. Rupp's office has done a good job of corresponding with me; I think they'll give you the same consideration.
Most importantly, request updates on progress from all of these officials periodically. Without follow-up, any push for a bottle bill will die of neglect.
If you believe a bottle bill is a bad idea or if you have a better idea, contact your officials with your solution. When everyone has a voice we can create the most effective plan possible.
Without your help, no change will happen. With your help, we can fix this problem. To recycle an old bottling company slogan, thank you for your support.
Paul Heumphreus is an electronics engineer who resides near St. Peters. He is one of 20 Opinion Shaper columnists for the Suburban Journals of St. Charles County. Opinion Shapers are chosen annually to write five columns on topics of interest to them.
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