March 27, 2009
Wheeling News Register
Editorial
‘Bottle Bill’ Still Not Good Idea
The seventh time should not be the charm for a proposed "bottle bill" in the West Virginia Legislature. Lawmakers have been wise to reject the idea for the past six years. This session should be no exception.
Various proposals to establish deposits on plastic and glass containers such as those used for beverages have been pet projects of the West Virginia Citizen Action Group for some time. Their position is that forcing consumers to pay deposits on containers would reduce the amount of litter beside Mountain State highways.
Deposits also would be a burden on consumers and businesses. In border counties such as ours, a substantial amount of sales would be lost by local merchants. Some consumers would purchase beverages in Ohio, where they would pay less because that state does not require deposits.
Hidden costs also could be a burden. How, for example, would retailers and distributors pay for handling of bottles returned by customers?
Last year's version of the "bottle bill" included a required deposit of 10 cents per container. This year, supporters of the measure hoped to gain more votes in the Legislature by reducing the amount to 5 cents. That still is a substantial amount - adding $1.20 to the cost of a case of soft drinks.
Lawmakers do not seem to be any more enthused about the bill than they have been in the past - but there is reason to believe supporters may stage a push for passage during the closing weeks of the session. We encourage legislators to reject the measure. They were right to do so during the past six years, and nothing about the situation has changed enough to merit a change in their attitude.
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