National bottle bill awaits action

WASHINGTON — A recently introduced national bottle bill to promote the recycling of bottled water containers by offering a redemption of 5 cents recently was referred to a congressional subcommittee and awaits further action.

The bill, known as the Bottle Recycling Climate Protection Act of 2007 (HR 4238), is sponsored by US Rep. Edward J. Markey, D-MA. He introduced HR 4238 in November, when it was then referred to the House Subcommittee on Environment and Hazardous Materials.

The bill, which currently has no US Senate companion, “would help move the nation toward a future of less global-warming pollution by reducing the energy and related heat-trapping emissions needed to create the materials used in new beverage containers,” Markey said in his introductory remarks on the measure.

Meanwhile, in Massachusetts, a legislative effort to amend the state’s bottle redemption law to include a redemption fee of 5 cents on non-carbonated drinks such as bottled water continues. The state’s Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities, and Energy, recently tabled the measure for further study, according to a March 24 article in The Boston Globe.

In New York, there has been no legislative action on the Bigger Better Bottle Bill, which would expand the state’s existing returnable container law to require a 5-cent refundable deposit; however, supporters continue to advocate for its inclusion in the 2008-2009 state budget.