March 6, 2007
Bottle bill back, faces opposition
by Chief Capitol Correspondent Mark Davis
(Hartford-WTNH) _ People's taste in beverages have changed in the past few decades, and the Rell Administration says that means the law should also be changed. The bottle bill is back up for debate and it could be expanded.
Food retailers are hoping to kill the bill again and they have some convincing arguments, but this year the bill has support among Democrats, Republicans and the Rell Administration.
For nearly thirty years most Connecticut residents have dutifully been returning empty soda and beer containers for the nickel deposit, but now some lawmakers and the Rell Administration believe it is not enough.
"We've started drinking a lot more water, juices and teas, sports drinks and the like than we have sodas, so we're starting to see that litter come back into our parks and public places," Sen. John McKinney, (R) Fairfield, said.
So the plan is to expand the nickel deposits to all waters, and all non-carbonated beverages as well.
"There's no reason not to," Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Gina McCarthy said. "These bottles can be recycled. They're just the same as a soda bottle. It's just an update, in my opinion."
The commissioner says Connecticut's recycling rate is just 30 percent and the goal is to double that in the next 17 years.
"None of these things are being recycled to the extent that they need to be for us to fight climate change and recycle like we should," Sen. Bill Finch, (D) Bridgeport, said.
But the association of food retailers says they don't think that is the way to go.
"Recycling is the goal and we don't disagree with that, but we feel that it should be left at the curb, not brought back to the store," said Carrie Rand of the Connecticut Food Association.
The retailers say it will require more machines, take more space, demand more disinfecting and drive costs up.
"We estimate it at about $31 million and unfortunately the way we recoup our costs is to increase your food costs, which we don't want to do," Rand said.
http://www.wtnh.com/Global/story.asp?S=6187406
