October 3, 2009
Bottle deposit goes down easy in Brookfield
BROOKFIELD -- Glenda Skjerli, of Patterson, N.Y. , was surprised when she looked at her receipt Friday afternoon outside the Brookfield Costco. There was an extra $3.50 added to the $9.59 she paid for two 35-packs of bottled water.
She was unaware that starting Thursday, Connecticut expanded its 5-cent bottle deposit to include water, flavored water, and nutritionally enhanced water bottles.
Her first reaction was, "That's ridiculous."
But on her way to her car, she mulled it over and decided maybe it wasn't such a bad idea.
"I feel bad because I don't take care of the environment," Skjerli said. "Maybe this will make me do it."
Skjerli said she was definitely going to take the empty bottles to the collection center to get her $3.50 back.
Robert Schwartz, of Lake Carmel, said he loves the new bottle bill and it's 10 years too late. He often picks up empty bottles that people toss near Lake Carmel and is hoping he'll see less pollution because of the deposit.
Schwartz called himself a water neurotic, as he loaded cases of water and other drinks onto the back of his flatbed truck. He drinks about eight bottles of water a day.
Deirdre Reuthers, of New Fairfield, buys small water bottles to put in her kids' lunch boxes. She hadn't heard about the new deposit.
"I'm bad with deposits anyway," Reuthers said. "I probably wouldn't take the bottles back, so I'll probably just start buying less water. I'll send the kids to school with reusable bottles."
Francis Lanois, of Southbury, religiously returns his soda cans and will start doing the same with his water bottles.
He said he had mixed feelings about the deposit. From an environmental perspective, he approves, but he doesn't like the idea of having to bring his water bottles back since he recycles anyway.
"I don't think it's going to change buying habits really," he said of the general public.
None of his customers have complained, said C-Town Supermarket for Savings owner Edwin Sanchez, and they're still buying water as usual. C-Town, on North Street in Danbury, sells 500 to 600 cases of 24-packs of water a week.
"Things will stay the same," Sanchez said.
Jenny Brady, of Warren, had heard of the water bottle deposit, but didn't think about it when she pulled a case of Poland Spring water off the shelf in Costco.
"I'm ashamed to say I am probably not going to take the bottles back," Brady said. "I don't even take back my cans. It's too much of a mess storing them in my garage and it's inconvenient."
Between her three sons who all play sports, her husband, and herself, Brady said they each drink about two bottles of water a day.
"I do think it's a good idea," Brady said. "Most people will drink less bottled water, and that's a good thing."
Contact Vinti Singh at [email protected] or at 203-731-3331.
Watch shoppers in Brookfield respond to the expanded bottle tax at NewsTimes.com
http://www.newstimes.com/latestnews/ci_13475391
