Statement of VPIRG Executive Director Paul Burns on Senate’s 22-7 Vote to Kill Expanded Bottle Bill Friday, April 20, 2012 — Just as people around Vermont and across the country are marking the 42nd anniversary of Earth Day, Vermont state senators have voted to kill a proposal to expand Vermont’s most successful recycling law — …
The Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Energy passed an amendment to expand the Bottle Bill as part of the broader solid waste and mandatory recycling bill (H. 485) on Friday morning. Offered by Senator Joe Benning (R- Caledonia), the amendment adds beverages such as water bottles, juices, and sports drinks to the bottle redemption …
Senate Committee gives Thumbs Up to a Bigger, Better Bottle Bill Read More »
Forty years ago this week, on April 7, 1972, Vermont legislators passed the Bottle Bill – innovative legislation to add a redeemable deposit on soda and beer bottles and cans. Vermont was only the second state in the nation, after Oregon, to enact a bottle redemption program. The idea was originally conceived as a way …
Last week marked “crossover,” where most bills need to be passed out of committee to remain alive for this legislative session. VPIRG members made phone calls and sent hundreds of emails to their Senators urging the Senate Natural Resource & Energy committee to pass the expanded Bottle Bill out of committee by the Friday, March 16 crossover deadline.
A new study shows that expanding Vermont’s Bottle Bill will recycle almost 100 million additional beverage containers each year. Broadening this program to cover plastic water bottles and other beverage containers would also consume less energy, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, create jobs and generate more revenue for local businesses.
Expanding Vermont’s Bottle Bill to certain non-carbonated beverage containers would be a win-win for our state’s environment and economy, according to a new study released today by the Vermont Public Interest Research Group (VPIRG). Among the specific findings in Understanding the Impacts of Expanding Vermont’s Beverage Deposit Return Program: an additional 96.7 million bottles and cans would be recycled each year in Vermont.
Strengthening the Bottle Bill will take two main forms: updating it so that you’ll be able to redeem water bottles and other non-carbonated beverage containers (including hard cider and wine bottles), and closing the “unclaimed nickel” loophole. That way, the deposits from unredeemed containers will go back to the State to be reinvested in recycling programs.
Our advocates are following these bills and we’ll keep you posted on opportunities to take action. Find the bill language by clicking the title.
Vermont’s Bottle Bill is our state’s most successful recycling program. Thanks to the Bottle Bill, we recycle 85% of covered beverage containers, while states without Bottle Bills recycle, on average, only 24%.
Read how expanding the Bottle Bill can keep millions more containers out of landfills and off of roadsides.
We continue to work toward building a clean, renewable, reliable energy future for our state. VPIRG is working to pass a bill ensuring that a greater portion of your electricity comes from renewable sources. And, with 50% of Vermont’s electricity already coming from clean energy sources like solar, wind, and hydropower, our goal, of an additional 30% more by 2025, is well within our reach.
