April 22, 2011
Bottle bill expansion heads for vote
An expansion of Oregon's bottle bill, with broader coverage and higher deposits linked with the startup of redemption centers for containers, is headed for a House vote.
House Bill 3145 advanced on a 7-1 vote Thursday of the House Energy, Environment and Water Committee.
It encourages the start of redemption centers, rather than retailers, to collect bottles and cans. Coverage eventually would be expanded to most juices, sports drinks and tea. If recycling rates fell below 80 percent in 2016, the five-cent deposit would go up to 10 cents.
"Redemption centers are critical," said Rep. Vicki Berger, R-Salem, who cosponsored the bill with Rep. Ben Cannon, D-Portland. "You cannot do any of the other things until you get the other system operational in our major population centers of this state. Then all kinds of things are possible."
The recycling rate in 2006 for covered items — soft drinks and beer — was 82 percent, compared with 37 percent for others. Water and flavored water containers were added in 2007.
http://www.statesmanjournal.com/article/20110422/NEWS/104220341/Bottle-bill-expansion-heads-vote?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|News|s
