A day after the release of a long-awaited report on how Rhode Island could start a deposit-refund program for recyclable bottles and cans, a trio of bottle bills tackling production, retailer and consumer responsibilities emerged.
The longest and most comprehensive proposal comes from Rep. Carol Hagan McEntee, a South Kingstown Democrat and longtime champion of the “bottle bill.” McEntee’s bill calls for a 10 cents per bottle fee, which consumers could reclaim upon returning the containers to designated redemption sites run by a nonprofit contractor hired by beverage producers.
The vendor would work with the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) to set up and carry out the bottle return and redemption program, according to McEntee’s bill. Refunds on returned bottles would begin July 1, 2029.
Such a system was first introduced in Oregon in 1971, which has an 87% recycling rate as of 2023 — the highest nationwide.
A separate entity known as a producer responsibility organization, overseen by a state advisory panel, would head up the back end, working with manufacturers to meet state recycling requirements and work with manufacturers.
“I’ve introduced a bottle bill for several years, and this is the best version yet,” McEntee said in a statement Wednesday. “We listened closely to all of the interested parties and worked hard to write a bill that takes their concerns into consideration and creates something that will both reduce litter and improve recycling, with zero cost to taxpayers.”
Those latest considerations come from a report published Tuesday by the 18-member joint legislative panel she’s co-chaired for the last two years — a report which was initially supposed to be completed last June, though the commission’s work was then extended through April 30, 2025.
The 18-page report paints a dire picture of what will happen if the state avoids dealing with its recycling and litter problem.
Stroll down most sidewalks and you’re likely to find discarded empty bottles, cans, and tiny nips containers of alcohol. Many beverage containers also get tossed in the trash instead of recycling bins, adding to the ever-growing mountain of waste at the 154-acre Central Landfill in Johnston, which is expected to reach capacity in 2046 under existing disposal rates
“It is clear to us as co-chairs that the recycling system in Rhode Island is not working well enough,” McEntee wrote along with her fellow commission co-chair, Sen. Mark McKenney, a Warwick Democrat.
This is why they want to incentivize more Rhode Islanders to return their bottles either at drop depots or reverse vending machines, which allow a person to insert their empty bottles in exchange for money. The commission’s report came with three options for the General Assembly to consider:
- A deposit-refund program for recyclable bottles and cans run by a third-party vendor, with no requirement that retailers accept empty recyclables, addressed in legislation introduced by Rep. Tina Spears, a Charlestown Democrat.
- An education and enforcement program, overseen by a state advisory board, that works with beverage producers to meet recycling targets, outlined in a bill by Rep. David Bennett, a Warwick Democrat
- A combination of both the deposit-refund program and the producer education and enforcement program — covered by McEntee’s bill
All three bills were referred to the House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources where they will be scheduled after lawmakers return from break on April 22.
Such programs have existed in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, and Vermont since the 1970s and ‘80s. And it’s an idea that is getting more popular support in the Ocean State.
A poll released March 7 by Save the Bay found 55% of respondents supported a 10-cent deposit on all beverages in recyclable containers.
“If it can work in all these other states, there’s no reason it shouldn’t work in Rhode Island,” Jed Thorp, advocacy director for Save the Bay and a member of the study panel, said in an interview Thursday.
But the bottle bill has regularly been denounced by retailers like grocery and liquor store owners, concerned over the cost, logistics, and administrative burden.
Store owners have told the commission that if bottles are not labeled properly, they can’t be redeemed and that bottle deposit machines can often attract rodents and bugs.
The commission’s report called the concerns legitimate but stated that they’re related to “old-style” bottle bills.
“Model programs handle containers in a far cleaner, more efficient and convenient manner,” the report states.
The commission recommends the state create a network of options that consumers can easily use, such as bag-drop programs, return depots, and reverse vending machines. Retailers would not be required to take back empty containers either.
“These successful programs rest on the pillars of incentive and convenience,” the report states. “When it’s as easy to recycle as to toss an item, the system works.”
House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi said he has not yet looked at the commission’s report but would have his newest advisor, former DEM director Janet Coit, review it. “I look forward to hearing her analysis, as well as discussing the issues further with the commission chairs,” Shekarchi said in an email Thursday.
McKenney’s companion legislation has not been introduced in the Senate as of Thursday.
This story was originally published by the Rhode Island Current.
