Latest news with #bottlebill
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Oregon's 'bottle deposit bill' was the first, but now it may be getting an overhaul
The Brief Oregon's 1971 bottle bill, the first of its kind, may soon be overhauled to limit late-night returns and add mobile sites. Lawmakers say the changes aim to reduce safety issues and public disorder near some redemption centers. Critics warn the law's reform could hurt low-income residents who rely on the refunds as a key income source. After more than 50 years, Oregon's groundbreaking bottle deposit law could soon look very different. A new proposal seeks to update the state's first-in-the-nation "bottle bill" by placing time limits on when bottles and cans can be returned, and by creating alternative redemption sites in cities like Portland. The goal: ease tensions between community members, retailers, and those who depend on canning for income, as concerns mount about safety, drug use, and homelessness around some redemption centers. While some praise the changes as necessary, others warn they may go too far—or not far enough. The backstory Oregon's bottle bill, passed in 1971, was a landmark environmental law designed to reduce litter by giving consumers a small refund for every eligible beverage container returned. Initially set at 5 cents, the deposit rose to 10 cents in 2017, and the program expanded to include more types of containers. The state now boasts the highest redemption rate in the country: 87% of containers were returned in 2023. Twenty-seven dedicated centers operate across Oregon, including facilities like The People's Depot under a Portland bridge, where workers process tens of thousands of bottles each day. What we know The new legislation aims to balance environmental goals with public safety by updating how and when containers can be returned across the state. The proposed bill would: Allow all stores to stop accepting bottle returns after 8 p.m. Let Portland retailers limit or refuse hand-counted returns after 6 p.m. Introduce mobile redemption units and other nonprofit-run alternatives in urban areas. Enable some stores near these alternative sites to opt out of accepting returns altogether. Retailers, including the Plaid Pantry convenience chain, support the changes, citing safety concerns linked to people redeeming containers late at night. Residents like Monica Truax, who lives near a redemption center in Portland, told the AP her once-quiet neighborhood now faces ongoing issues with drugs, garbage, and violence. What we don't know It remains unclear how many mobile redemption sites will be created—or how soon. Lawmakers have also not finalized whether the state will redirect unclaimed deposit money, which critics say could fund environmental programs. In 2019 alone, the Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative (OBRC) retained over $30 million in unclaimed refunds. What they're saying In written testimony, Kristofer Brown of The People's Depot acknowledged the divide over the bill but said most people who redeem bottles rely on it to survive. "Since becoming manager of The People's Depot, I'm learning how polarizing The Oregon Bottle Bill is," he said. Jonathan Polonsky, CEO of Plaid Pantry, previously argued in The Oregonian/OregonLive that the system endangers employees by forcing them to accept late-night returns from people who may be under the influence or aggressive. He noted that a small number of cans can buy enough fentanyl to feed addiction. Meanwhile, community members like Truax say the spirit of the original law has been lost: "It's just a mess," she said. Why you should care This isn't just about recycling. For some, the 10-cent refund per bottle is a lifeline. For others, it's a safety concern that threatens local businesses and neighborhoods. What happens in Oregon could influence other states with similar systems—and reshape the national conversation around environmental programs and social impact. What's next The bill has already passed the Oregon Senate and is now in the House. Lawmakers have until late June to finalize the legislation. The Source This report is based on Associated Press reporting from Portland, Oregon. It includes direct quotes from residents, lawmakers, and stakeholders as presented in AP interviews and public testimony. Data from the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission and a 2020 state audit of the bottle bill were also cited. This story was reported from Los Angeles.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Oregon's landmark bottle redemption law may change due to concerns over drugs and homelessness
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Monica Truax has lived in her Portland home since 1992, on a cul-de-sac she described as a close-knit community. But since a bottle redemption center opened next door several years ago, her block has struggled with drug dealing, garbage and fights in the middle of the night, she said. 'It's just all completely changed,' she said. 'But the people are all still here, you know, all the residents are here still, and still raising their families.' After more than five decades, Oregon's first-in-the-nation 'bottle bill' — now replicated in nine other states — faces a potential overhaul, with lawmakers considering new time restrictions on bottle redemption sites that some say have become magnets for drugs and homelessness. The trailblazing law to reduce littering by incentivizing recycling helped cement the state's reputation as a leader in the emerging environmental movement. It has also become a financial security net for many, including those experiencing homelessness. The legislation echoes calls to modernize the bottle bill, with some saying changes are needed to address unintended consequences. 'He did not envision this,' Truax said of former Oregon Gov. Tom McCall, who signed the bottle bill into law. 'It's just a mess.' How does the bottle bill work? Consumers originally paid a 5-cent deposit on each eligible bottle or can, then collected the deposit when they redeemed the empty container at a retailer, such as a supermarket or convenience store. Over the years, the program has expanded accepted containers and increased the deposit to 10 cents. Twenty-seven centers exclusively for returns have been opened across the state. California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, Vermont and the U.S. territory of Guam followed Oregon in adopting the concept, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. In Oregon, people can sign up for accounts in which their refunds are deposited or choose cash redemptions. Some stores count containers by hand. Other sites have counting machines or areas where account holders can drop off bags of containers. The deposit has not kept pace with inflation — 5 cents in 1971 would be equal to 40 cents today, according to the Consumer Price Index's inflation calculator — but many low-income residents rely on it. Why are critics upset? Stores must accept container returns when they are open, and owners of all-night convenience stores, particularly in Portland, say they're concerned about employee safety. In an op-ed for The Oregonian/OregonLive last year, Jonathan Polonsky, president and CEO of the Plaid Pantry chain of convenience stores, wrote that fentanyl was selling for less than $1 a pill and 'a small number of cans add up to enough to buy drugs.' People redeeming containers at night "may be belligerent and intimidating, presenting a major safety risk to our store associates who have no choice under Oregon's Bottle Bill to handle returns at that hour,' he wrote. Truax, who lives with her husband in northeast Portland, said homeless encampments and people relieving themselves in public were among the many things she had witnessed on her block. 'I've seen it all,' she said, describing the scourge of fentanyl as 'the cherry on the sundae.' 'It's just sad," she added. Environmentally friendly income source At the bottle redemption center near Truax's home, Chris Grass waited with his father and girlfriend in the long line outside the door. They each redeemed the maximum amount of 350 containers per person per day for $105 in cash to help pay for gas and provide some extra money for things like cigarettes and coffee while he's unemployed, he said. 'A lot of people don't like people that go out and can,' he said. 'But it's actually good for the environment." In 2023, roughly 87% of eligible containers were returned for redemption, according to the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission. That was the highest rate in the nation that year, according to the Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative, which operates the bottle bill program on behalf of its distributor members. What would the legislation do? The bill being considered by lawmakers would allow stores across the state to refuse container returns after 8 p.m. In Portland, it would allow for 'alternative' redemption sites, including possible mobile sites such as trucks that travel to different neighborhoods. Nonprofits would run the alternative sites for people who redeem containers every day, relieving the pressure on retailers, particularly downtown. Stores in an area with an alternative drop site could limit or refuse hand-counted returns, with convenience stores specifically allowed to stop them at 6 p.m. The proposal is supported by retailers as well as groups like the Ground Score Association, whose members include 'canners' and waste pickers who collect containers for income. The association operates a Portland redemption center under a bridge called The People's Depot that processes some 38,000 containers daily, according to its website. It has pushed back against claims that the bottle bill fuels the fentanyl crisis and says most people redeeming bottles need the money to make ends meet. 'Since becoming manager of The People's Depot, I'm learning how polarizing The Oregon Bottle Bill is,' the depot's operational manager Kristofer Brown said in written testimony supporting the bill. Do the proposed changes go far enough? Unlike in some other states, Oregon's bottle bill program is run by the private beverage industry rather than state government. The Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative retains unredeemed deposits, which topped $30 million in 2019, according to a 2020 state audit of the bottle bill. The audit recommended several changes, including having some or all unredeemed deposits go to the state to help fund environmental programs. Consolidated Oregon Indivisible Network, a progressive advocacy group, said in written testimony supporting the bill that 'money is piling up in the bottle deposit fund' and called for another government audit. The OBRC says unredeemed refunds go toward operating expenses for the beverage container redemption system. The Legislature has until late June to approve the bill, which received overwhelming approval in the Senate and is now in the House.
The Independent
17-05-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Oregon's landmark bottle redemption law may change due to concerns over drugs and homelessness
Monica Truax has lived in her Portland home since 1992, on a cul-de-sac she described as a close-knit community. But since a bottle redemption center opened next door several years ago, her block has struggled with drug dealing, garbage and fights in the middle of the night, she said. 'It's just all completely changed,' she said. 'But the people are all still here, you know, all the residents are here still, and still raising their families.' After more than five decades, Oregon 's first-in-the-nation 'bottle bill' — now replicated in nine other states — faces a potential overhaul, with lawmakers considering new time restrictions on bottle redemption sites that some say have become magnets for drugs and homelessness. The trailblazing law to reduce littering by incentivizing recycling helped cement the state's reputation as a leader in the emerging environmental movement. It has also become a financial security net for many, including those experiencing homelessness. The legislation echoes calls to modernize the bottle bill, with some saying changes are needed to address unintended consequences. 'He did not envision this,' Truax said of former Oregon Gov. Tom McCall, who signed the bottle bill into law. 'It's just a mess.' How does the bottle bill work? Consumers originally paid a 5-cent deposit on each eligible bottle or can, then collected the deposit when they redeemed the empty container at a retailer, such as a supermarket or convenience store. Over the years, the program has expanded accepted containers and increased the deposit to 10 cents. Twenty-seven centers exclusively for returns have been opened across the state. California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, Vermont and the U.S. territory of Guam followed Oregon in adopting the concept, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. In Oregon, people can sign up for accounts in which their refunds are deposited or choose cash redemptions. Some stores count containers by hand. Other sites have counting machines or areas where account holders can drop off bags of containers. The deposit has not kept pace with inflation — 5 cents in 1971 would be equal to 40 cents today, according to the Consumer Price Index's inflation calculator — but many low-income residents rely on it. Why are critics upset? Stores must accept container returns when they are open, and owners of all-night convenience stores, particularly in Portland, say they're concerned about employee safety. In an op-ed for The Oregonian/OregonLive last year, Jonathan Polonsky, president and CEO of the Plaid Pantry chain of convenience stores, wrote that fentanyl was selling for less than $1 a pill and 'a small number of cans add up to enough to buy drugs.' People redeeming containers at night "may be belligerent and intimidating, presenting a major safety risk to our store associates who have no choice under Oregon's Bottle Bill to handle returns at that hour,' he wrote. Truax, who lives with her husband in northeast Portland, said homeless encampments and people relieving themselves in public were among the many things she had witnessed on her block. 'I've seen it all,' she said, describing the scourge of fentanyl as 'the cherry on the sundae.' 'It's just sad," she added. Environmentally friendly income source At the bottle redemption center near Truax's home, Chris Grass waited with his father and girlfriend in the long line outside the door. They each redeemed the maximum amount of 350 containers per person per day for $105 in cash to help pay for gas and provide some extra money for things like cigarettes and coffee while he's unemployed, he said. 'A lot of people don't like people that go out and can,' he said. 'But it's actually good for the environment." In 2023, roughly 87% of eligible containers were returned for redemption, according to the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission. That was the highest rate in the nation that year, according to the Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative, which operates the bottle bill program on behalf of its distributor members. What would the legislation do? The bill being considered by lawmakers would allow stores across the state to refuse container returns after 8 p.m. In Portland, it would allow for 'alternative' redemption sites, including possible mobile sites such as trucks that travel to different neighborhoods. Nonprofits would run the alternative sites for people who redeem containers every day, relieving the pressure on retailers, particularly downtown. Stores in an area with an alternative drop site could limit or refuse hand-counted returns, with convenience stores specifically allowed to stop them at 6 p.m. The proposal is supported by retailers as well as groups like the Ground Score Association, whose members include 'canners' and waste pickers who collect containers for income. The association operates a Portland redemption center under a bridge called The People's Depot that processes some 38,000 containers daily, according to its website. It has pushed back against claims that the bottle bill fuels the fentanyl crisis and says most people redeeming bottles need the money to make ends meet. 'Since becoming manager of The People's Depot, I'm learning how polarizing The Oregon Bottle Bill is,' the depot's operational manager Kristofer Brown said in written testimony supporting the bill. Do the proposed changes go far enough? Unlike in some other states, Oregon's bottle bill program is run by the private beverage industry rather than state government. The Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative retains unredeemed deposits, which topped $30 million in 2019, according to a 2020 state audit of the bottle bill. The audit recommended several changes, including having some or all unredeemed deposits go to the state to help fund environmental programs. Consolidated Oregon Indivisible Network, a progressive advocacy group, said in written testimony supporting the bill that 'money is piling up in the bottle deposit fund' and called for another government audit. The OBRC says unredeemed refunds go toward operating expenses for the beverage container redemption system. The Legislature has until late June to approve the bill, which received overwhelming approval in the Senate and is now in the House.
Associated Press
17-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Oregon's landmark bottle redemption law may change due to concerns over drugs and homelessness
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Monica Truax has lived in her Portland home since 1992, on a cul-de-sac she described as a close-knit community. But since a bottle redemption center opened next door several years ago, her block has struggled with drug dealing, garbage and fights in the middle of the night, she said. 'It's just all completely changed,' she said. 'But the people are all still here, you know, all the residents are here still, and still raising their families.' After more than five decades, Oregon's first-in-the-nation 'bottle bill' — now replicated in nine other states — faces a potential overhaul, with lawmakers considering new time restrictions on bottle redemption sites that some say have become magnets for drugs and homelessness. The trailblazing law to reduce littering by incentivizing recycling helped cement the state's reputation as a leader in the emerging environmental movement. It has also become a financial security net for many, including those experiencing homelessness. The legislation echoes calls to modernize the bottle bill, with some saying changes are needed to address unintended consequences. 'He did not envision this,' Truax said of former Oregon Gov. Tom McCall, who signed the bottle bill into law. 'It's just a mess.' How does the bottle bill work? Consumers originally paid a 5-cent deposit on each eligible bottle or can, then collected the deposit when they redeemed the empty container at a retailer, such as a supermarket or convenience store. Over the years, the program has expanded accepted containers and increased the deposit to 10 cents. Twenty-seven centers exclusively for returns have been opened across the state. California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, Vermont and the U.S. territory of Guam followed Oregon in adopting the concept, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. In Oregon, people can sign up for accounts in which their refunds are deposited or choose cash redemptions. Some stores count containers by hand. Other sites have counting machines or areas where account holders can drop off bags of containers. The deposit has not kept pace with inflation — 5 cents in 1971 would be equal to 40 cents today, according to the Consumer Price Index's inflation calculator — but many low-income residents rely on it. Why are critics upset? Stores must accept container returns when they are open, and owners of all-night convenience stores, particularly in Portland, say they're concerned about employee safety. In an op-ed for The Oregonian/OregonLive last year, Jonathan Polonsky, president and CEO of the Plaid Pantry chain of convenience stores, wrote that fentanyl was selling for less than $1 a pill and 'a small number of cans add up to enough to buy drugs.' People redeeming containers at night 'may be belligerent and intimidating, presenting a major safety risk to our store associates who have no choice under Oregon's Bottle Bill to handle returns at that hour,' he wrote. Truax, who lives with her husband in northeast Portland, said homeless encampments and people relieving themselves in public were among the many things she had witnessed on her block. 'I've seen it all,' she said, describing the scourge of fentanyl as 'the cherry on the sundae.' 'It's just sad,' she added. Environmentally friendly income source At the bottle redemption center near Truax's home, Chris Grass waited with his father and girlfriend in the long line outside the door. They each redeemed the maximum amount of 350 containers per person per day for $105 in cash to help pay for gas and provide some extra money for things like cigarettes and coffee while he's unemployed, he said. 'A lot of people don't like people that go out and can,' he said. 'But it's actually good for the environment.' In 2023, roughly 87% of eligible containers were returned for redemption, according to the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission. That was the highest rate in the nation that year, according to the Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative, which operates the bottle bill program on behalf of its distributor members. What would the legislation do? The bill being considered by lawmakers would allow stores across the state to refuse container returns after 8 p.m. In Portland, it would allow for 'alternative' redemption sites, including possible mobile sites such as trucks that travel to different neighborhoods. Nonprofits would run the alternative sites for people who redeem containers every day, relieving the pressure on retailers, particularly downtown. Stores in an area with an alternative drop site could limit or refuse hand-counted returns, with convenience stores specifically allowed to stop them at 6 p.m. The proposal is supported by retailers as well as groups like the Ground Score Association, whose members include 'canners' and waste pickers who collect containers for income. The association operates a Portland redemption center under a bridge called The People's Depot that processes some 38,000 containers daily, according to its website. It has pushed back against claims that the bottle bill fuels the fentanyl crisis and says most people redeeming bottles need the money to make ends meet. 'Since becoming manager of The People's Depot, I'm learning how polarizing The Oregon Bottle Bill is,' the depot's operational manager Kristofer Brown said in written testimony supporting the bill. Do the proposed changes go far enough? Unlike in some other states, Oregon's bottle bill program is run by the private beverage industry rather than state government. The Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative retains unredeemed deposits, which topped $30 million in 2019, according to a 2020 state audit of the bottle bill. The audit recommended several changes, including having some or all unredeemed deposits go to the state to help fund environmental programs. Consolidated Oregon Indivisible Network, a progressive advocacy group, said in written testimony supporting the bill that 'money is piling up in the bottle deposit fund' and called for another government audit. The OBRC says unredeemed refunds go toward operating expenses for the beverage container redemption system. The Legislature has until late June to approve the bill, which received overwhelming approval in the Senate and is now in the House.
