Bottle Bill Resource Guide

Details

Connecticut first passed its container deposit legislation in 1978, and implemented it on January 1, 1980. It was the sixth US state to implement a bottle container deposit program.

Connecticut's bottle bill initially only included beer, malt beverages, and carbonated beverages, as they took the predominant share of the beverage container industry in the 20th century. However, with the rising popularity of bottled water, the Connecticut General Assembly passed three separate laws in 2009 that further expanded the program by allowing non-carbonated water to be redeemed, and unredeemed deposits, known as "escheating",  are paid back to the State. [8] The 2009 expansion bill created a system for distributors to report income from deposits and return unclaimed deposits to the state; this data allowed the state to calculate quarterly and annual statewide redemption rates. This bill also created a "dislocation fund" for workers who lost their jobs due to the bottle bill.

In 2021, Connecticut passed SB1037 to further expand the program, by raising the deposit values from 5¢ to 10¢ and the handling fee from 2¢ to 3.5¢, in order to modernize the bill to current levels of inflation and other trends. Eligible beverages now include non-carbonated beverages, hard ciders, and malt-based hard seltzers. More container types became eligible for redemption, specifically HDPE containers. Containers can be accepted for deposit if they are crushed or flattened as long as the deposit information is visible. Miniature "nips" bottles (≤50mL) had a 5¢ fee placed upon them which is not subject to redemption. These nips fees are instead collected by distributors and given back out to communities according to nips sales in those areas.

Prior to 2022, 100% of unclaimed deposits were escheated to the state. In 2021, Connecticut passed SB1037, which established that unclaimed deposits must be shared increasingly with distributors based on the redemption rate as detailed on the timeline below:

Consumers may redeem their deposits at either a retailer or a certified redemption center. Retailers must accept containers of brands that they carry, but are not required to take containers they do not stock. Certain retailers must now also have at least 2 reverse vending machines (RVMs) on site for consumer use. Manufacturers who produce less than 250,000 non-carbonated beverage containers that are 20 ounces or less in size during a calendar year or one hundred thousand gallons or less of juice in beverage containers each calendar year may seek an exemption from participating in the deposit system.

More redemption centers are planned to be built to help serve underserviced areas. All parts of the bill have been implemented as of January 1, 2024. [9] A timeline of the bill's implementation may be found here. By January 2024, there were 26 redemption centers that Connecticut consumers may visit to return their bottles; by June 2025, that number has been raised to 31 redemption centers, 30 of which are open to consumers. The list of redemption centers may be found here.

In 2025, the Connecticut Bond Bill (HB 7288) and Budget Bill (HB 7287) added some new provisions that affect the state's deposit return system:

• Any redemption center that accepts more than 2,500 containers from one individual in one day must create an obtain a record of that person.
• No redemption center may accept more than 5,000 containers in one day from one person with the exception of nonprofit organizations, or on behalf of a fundraiser.
• "Infused beverages" containing THC are specifically exempt.
• Redemption centers must now receive approval to operate (rather than just needing to register). They must also register annually. [10] [11]

Footnotes

[1] Connecticut P.A. 21-58. No. 1037. 2021.

[2] Ibid.

[3] S.B. No. 1037. Session Year 2021. See our Fact Sheet here.    

[4] Ibid.

[5] "CT Bottle Redemption Data." Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP). 2025. 

[6] Private correspondence with Chris Nelson, Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP). May 2022 and May 2023.

[7] "2021 Beverage Market Data Analysis." Container Recycling Institute. 2024.

[8] See Footnote 6.

[9] See Footnote 1.

[10] Connecticut P.A. 25-174. House Bill 7288. 2025.

[11] Connecticut P.A. 25-168. House Bill 7287. 2025.

Last Updated on July 17, 2025.

Guam's legislature enacted a deposit system in 2011.

Details 

 The system is not yet operational. However, in a November 15, 2012 interview, Senator Tina Muña-Barnes (the bill's primary sponsor) announced that in preliminary meetings, the bill did have the support of stakeholders and military representatives, which is crucial for the process to advance. 

Footnotes

*All information on this page was gathered from the documentation of the legislative process[pdf,30Mb]

Last Updated on May 17, 2023.

Details

Iowa has a bottle deposit system with a deposit of 5¢. In 1990, deposit containers were banned from landfills.

On June 17, 2022, SF2378 was signed into law. This bottle bill raised the handling fee to 3¢ per container for redemption centers and participating retailers, requires beverage manufacturers to register the deposit products they sell in Iowa, established enforcement for program violators, and allows retailers to opt out of redeeming containers if they meet specific criteria [4]. To opt out of the bottle deposit system, retailers must have an agreement for a mobile redemption system, or must be in a county with more than 30,000 people and within 10 miles of a redemption center, or in a county with fewer than 30,000 people and within 15 miles of a redemption center, or have an on-site government regulated controlled food preparation (regardless of how far the closest approved redemption center is). Non-partcipating retailers must post a notice identifying the nearest redemption center. The bill went into effect on January 1, 2023 and is administered and enforced by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

Iowa does not collect sales or return data on beverage containers. Consequently, updating the estimated redemption rate is not done every year due to a lack of resources [5]. The redemption rate was estimated at 93% in the year 2000 [6]. 

Footnotes

[1] "Dermot Hayes, "Economics of the Iowa Bottle Bill," Iowa State University, January 2012. Table 1." An 86% recycling rate was estimated in 2007, based on waste composition data collected in 2005 by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Deductions made for recycling through curbside and dropoff programs (see below note). Personal communication from Bill Blum, Financial & Business Assistance program planner, Iowa DNR, Land Quality Bureau. February 27, 2015. 

[2] "2021 Beverage Market Data Analysis." Container Recycling Institute. 2024.

[3] See Footnote 2.

[4] "Changes to the Bottle Bill Frequently Asked Questions." Iowa DNR. 2022

[5] See Footnote 2.

[6] "Iowa DNR, Waste Management Division (year 2000 estimate)." As per phone conversation with Jeff Geerts. August 29, 2018.

Last Updated on March 7, 2025.