February 15, 2010
Legislation proposes beverage container recycling fee
OWATONNA — Proponents of a beverage container recycling fee say the fee could raise about $90 million a year for the state of Minnesota, while opponents claim it will simply be another tax aimed at consumers.
The bill — dubbed the Minnesota Recycling Refund Act — was first introduced in the Minnesota House in February 2009, written by Representative Melissa Hortman. The bill was referred to the Environment Policy and Oversight Committee.
In March a similar bill was introduced in the Senate written by Sen. Katie Sieben.
Two Minnesotans, Sarah Heuer and Ben Olson, are traveling around the state this week to discuss what they see as a beneficial recycling program. On Monday, they stopped in Owatonna.
Olson said they found Minnesota is behind in beverage container recycling rates, coming in with recycling at only 35 percent. However, it is their hope a deposit program would raise those rates to more than 80 percent.
The two have used Iowa as an example. In Iowa, the state has had a 5 cent deposit on beverage containers since 1979. According to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, 90 percent of all beverage containers are recycled.
The Minnesota bill would impose a 10 cent deposit on each beverage container, which would include alcoholic and non-alcoholic glass, plastic and aluminum cans or bottles.
The fees would work like this: Each time a store buys a beverage from a distributor, the distributor is paid a deposit for each can or bottle.
The consumer then pays that 10 cents to the store when they purchase the beverage.
The consumer would get their 10 cents back by recycling the container, after taking it to a redemption center or another location where a deposit refund center has been set up.
Olson and Heuer say that even at a recycling rate of 80 percent, the deposit money not recouped by consumers would return to the state of Minnesota, earning the state about $90 million a year.
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency is officially neutral on the topic. However, in a 2007 Solid Waste Report, the MPCA wrote: “The current recycling system is missing major energy and greenhouse gas reduction opportunities with beverage containers, starting with aluminum cans.”
According to the report, the MPCA wants to get the recycling rate for beverage containers up to 80 percent by 2012.
“If the benchmark indicates that progress is not satisfactory toward the 80 percent goal, the MPCA will recommend stronger action be taken,” according to the report.
However, Joan Archer, president of the Minnesota Beverage Association, which represents all non-alcoholic bottlers in the state, says bottlers are not in favor of such a system because of the cost to consumers and the extra time and effort left to the consumer.
“The industry would impose adding those types of inconveniences to the customers,” Archer said.
Archer said Minnesota is already ranked in the top three of U.S. states due to its curbside recycling programs and other programs which taxpayers already pay for through their property and state taxes.
Archer puts forth the example of buying a 12-pack of soda. The recycling fees would charge a consumer an extra $1.20 per case, then the consumer would have to find a recycling center to refund those costs, rather than just setting used cans outside the home for curbside pick-up.
Archer said the MBA supports local recycling programs such as the Message In A Bottle Program, which recently kicked off in Owatonna. The Message In A Bottle program installs recycling containers at convenience stores and other locations to allow for “away from home recycling.”
The recyclables are then picked up by organizations such as Jobs Plus, an organization which helps citizens with developmental disabilities find and retain jobs. Jobs Plus employees gather the recyclables from each bin then sort the items for recycling.
“I think for consumers to recycle it has to be very, very convenient and not cost them anything,” Archer said.
For Olson and Heuer, they too support programs such as Message In A Bottle.
“We think Message In a Bottle is a good idea, but it’s not enough,” Heuer said.
Heuer and Olson point out the money gained from redeeming collected recyclable containers can be used as a fundraiser for many non-profits.
“It would be an easy way to donate to a favorite organization,” Olson said.
Sen. Mike Parry, R-Owatonna, said the bill is still making its way through the Legislature and he’s happy to learn more about it. However, at first glance he said he is likely not to support it.“It is a fee and in my mind, a fee is nothing more than a another tax on our citizens,” Parry said. “I would oppose another fee.”
For more information about the recycling programs visit recyclingrefund.com or for general recycling information visit recycleminnesota.org.
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