The National Recycling Coalition, Washington, will apparently not come out in favor of a proposed national bottle bill that would most likely boost the recycling rate of beverage containers.
Citing its diverse membership base, current NRC president Meg Morris recently told attendees at a state recycling association meeting that the organization will not come out in favor of the bill that has been proposed by U.S. Senator James Jeffords (I-Vt.).
Speaking to attendees of the New York State Association for Reduction, Reuse & Recycling Inc. (NYSAR3) at a meeting last week in Binghamton, N.Y., Morris noted that the NRC has been asked to take a stand by some of its members. “But we’re a coalition; we come from a zillion different backgrounds, [and] taking a stand where the membership might have a 50/50 split just doesn’t make much sense.”
The NRC’s national policy director, Michael Alexander, also spoke at the NYSAR3 event, and echoed Morris’ statements. “The nature and diversity of our coalition has not allowed us to take a stance on the issue,” Alexander said of the NRC’s approach to a national bottle bill. “We can step in and provide a forum [on the issue],” he added.
Expanding deposit and return laws to boost recycling rates has seen its first resurgence of interest in nearly two decades with the proposed Jeffords bill and the introduction of a deposit and return system in Hawaii.
In New York State, NYSAR3 has endorsed an expansion of that state’s bottle bill to include bottled water, fruit drinks and other beverages that have greatly increased in sales in the two decades since the state’s current system was put in place.
California has also recently expanded its beverage container deposit and redemption system to include bottled water and other beverages.
Within the NRC, while many recycling advocates would like to see a national bottle return system to boost recycling rates, many solid waste and recycling companies have invested in plants and equipment to support the current curbside systems as they exist in many non-deposit states.