A bottle bill deserves to pass the R.I. General Assembly. Here's why beverage brands think so.
Bottles and cans to be redeemed at a recycling center in New York City are shown. (Photo by)
Rhode Island has a major opportunity to modernize and reform its recycling system with two common-sense bills currently before the legislature.
H6207 sponsored by Rep. Carol Hagan McEntee, a South Kingstown Democrat, and S 996, sponsored by Sen. Mark McKenney, a Warwick Democrat, would establish a modern Deposit Return System – a.k.a. 'A bottle bill' – and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for packaging. EPR essentially requires producers of packaging to fund a program for collecting and recycling discarded packaging to help minimize their environmental impact.
Together, these proven policies would reduce litter, cut costs for the consumer, and build a cleaner environment.
As the legislative debate continues, it's clear that momentum is growing for recycling reform — not just among environmental advocates and local leaders, but within the private sector as well. Environmental champions like Save the Bay and Clean Water Action strongly support these initiatives. And you might be surprised to learn that the beverage industry does too. Many beverage companies see a combined bottle bill and EPR system as a smart, forward-looking solution to address flaws with the way we handle recycling.
Rhode Island's recycling rate is stuck at just 26%. In Providence, it's worse — recycling rates hover in the single digits, and nearly 650 pounds of recyclables per household are rejected each year due to contamination. That adds up to over 121,000 tons of collected recyclable material per year that the city pays $1.14 million to dispose of in the Central Landfill in Johnston, which is projected to run out of room in about 20 years. This represents both wasted resources and missed economic opportunity.
We can — and must — do better. Leading beverage companies who are part of the Coalition for High Performance Recycling (CHPR) agree.
A growing number of beverage companies are publicly endorsing recycling reform in Rhode Island. These companies understand there's a clear business case for the industry to support and fund improved recycling systems.
A reliable, domestic supply of recycled materials is essential for both short- and long-term success. Brands can no longer rely on volatile global markets, unstable geopolitics, or imported raw materials to meet their production needs.
Companies need a steady, local stream of recycled material — so that each can and bottle can be recycled into new cans and bottles.
Who belongs to CHPR ? Primo Brands — whose trusted brands include Poland Spring and Saratoga. Other participating beverage and bottling companies are Diageo North America,whose brands include Guinness and Johnnie Walker New Belgium Brewing Company; Niagara Bottling; and Red Bull.
As Primo Brands recently testified at the Rhode Island State House in support of a modern bottle bill and EPR, 'we need a greater supply of recycled materials, and we need it to be domestic.'
A growing number of beverage companies are publicly endorsing recycling reform in Rhode Island. These companies understand there's a clear business case for the industry to support and fund improved recycling systems.
The current domestic recycling system doesn't get the job done. One reason is that curbside recyclables are lumped into one single, albeit convenient, system. That inevitably leads to contamination, which reduces the value of the recycled products and the ability to turn them into food grade material. Another problem is that people are not sufficiently educated and incentivized to recycle.
A modern bottle bill with an extended producer responsibility policy together provides an environmental improvement strategy and improves consumer education and recycling. Plus, they're smart, complementary business strategies that support stable, domestic supply chains that produce higher-quality recycled materials and help keep costs down for the consumer.
Rhode Island can become a national model for high-performance recycling.
By passing H6207 and S996 — a modern bottle bill plus EPR — the state can significantly reduce litter, pollution, and waste, protect its natural beauty and resources, and create a more circular, resilient, and sustainable economy and environment.
We need to tune out the scare tactics and outdated talking points of industry opponents and support recycling reform for Rhode Island.
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