Associations continue push for deposit-return expansion

An effort started last September by the Aluminum Association and Can Manufacturers Institute (CMI) to spark renewed interest in deposit-return systems (DRS), or bottle bills, has gained the endorsement of other organizations.

The Aluminum Association and CMI say their informational website has this year gained the support of the Alliance for Mission-Based Recyclers, the Association of Plastic Recyclers, C3 Solutions and the National Taxpayers Union.

The industry groups effort includes “guiding principles for efficient and effective recycling refund programs” that have been endorsed “by an ideologically diverse group of organizations.”

Beverage can and bottle recycling rates that have stagnated or declined in recent years come at “a massive cost to the economy and the environment,” the associations say.

In the aluminum sector, the alliance estimates some $800 million worth of aluminum used beverage cans (UBCs)—the equivalent of 12 twelve-packs for every American—are discarded annually without being recycled.

DRS programs have a proven track record of increasing recycling rates, the CMI and Aluminum Association say, and the 10 states plus Guam that have such programs enjoy recycling rates two, three, or four times higher than nonrecycling refund states, add the groups.

“Recycling rates in the U.S. are not what they need to be—which is bad for the economy and bad for the environment,” says Charles Johnson, president and CEO of the Aluminum Association. “The good news is there’s a ready solution in recycling refund programs—a common sense program that enjoys broad popularity with Americans across the ideological spectrum.”

“It is great to see support continue to grow for this effective, common-sense way to incentivize consumers to recycle,” CMI President Robert Budway says. “We plan to build additional support to implement recycling refund programs at both the federal and state levels. Recycling refunds reduce unsightly litter and keep valuable recyclable materials out of landfills. Recycling reduces greenhouse gas emissions, as well as create jobs and resilient supply chains.”

A statement from the Washington-based Association of Plastic Recyclers reads, “The public is demanding more convenient recycling programs and U.S. manufacturers are demanding more domestic sources of recycled plastics to support industry demand. Collecting more recyclable plastics is good for U.S. consumers, good for U.S. manufacturing and good for our environment.”

Recycling refund programs appear popular across party lines, with one public opinion poll finding that 81percent of Americans support recycling refund programs that place a fully refundable deposit (usually 5 or 10 cents) on beverage containers at the time of purchase that is refunded upon return of the container.

Support for these programs registered at more than 70 percent across all political and demographic groups, according to the alliance, which adds, “Residents of states with existing recycling refund programs displayed the highest level of support at 90 percent.”