The expansion would only make a flawed system even worse, said GMA. Research done in 2001 estimates the cost of recycling noncarbonated beverage containers through a deposit system at $1꼲 per ton compared to $504 per ton under the current system and $100 to $150 per ton under a curbside program. Furthermore, under the current system, container deposits constitute only 2.1% of solid waste. Expanding the bottle bill would increase the state recycling rate by just 0.6%.
GMA said it shared the goal of the legislation to move beyond the bottle bill, but it rejected a proposal to assess an advanced deposit fee on manufacturers to fund the phaseout of the bottle deposit system and replace it with greater recycling opportunities. A funding rate must be equitable among all categories of beverage containers, GMA said, adding that it should be a one-time assessment and not a three-year assessment.
