May 10 - Oregon Bottle Bill Expansion Garners GOP Support

Prospect for a bottle bill overhaul in Oregon looks good, as HB 3145 recently passed out of Oregon House of Representative with bipartisan support. The measure would :

  • Expand the system to include containers for most juice, tea, and sports/energy drinks no later than 2018.
  • If - and only if - redemption rates fall below 80% after 2016, then the deposit would increase to 10 cents per container.
  • Make it easier to site redemption centers in convenient locations.

The bill is cosponsored by Rep. Ben Canon (D-Portland) and Rep. Vicki Berger (R-Salem), whose father was one of the authors of Oregon's original container deposit law 40 years ago. The bill enjoys support from the grocers, the beverage industry, and environmental groups alike. The bill now moves to the Senate, where it is expected to pass.

According to co-sponsor Representative Cannon,

The Bottle Bill is one of the most successful recycling devices ever invented, but it’s showing signs of age. The redemption experience needs to be improved for consumers. More containers should be covered and the deposit should increase if recycling rates drop.

In CA, there is pending legislation to extent the sunset of a successful Plastic Market Development Program, under the Bottle Bill.

Lanh Nguyen