Save Connecticut's Recycling Program!
- by: Connecticut League of Conservation Voters
- recipient: Speaker Joe Aresimowicz and Connecticut State Representatives, Connecticut
The latest target is the state's landmark "bottle bill" that was passed nearly 40 years ago. The law adds a small fee to every bottle purchased which is returned when it's later recycled. It's been an incredibly easy and effective way to keep our beaches, roadsides and communities litter-free.
But Senate Bill 996 would change all of this. The bill is supported by industry, which does not want any part of recycling duties for the bottles and cans they sell. They've come out strongly in favor of the law, which would put the onus of clean up on cities and towns, which would force a new tax on citizens to cover costs.
The bottle bill is one of Connecticut's most effective environmental programs. Eliminating it would result in increased litter in our communities, increased costs to taxpayers, and fewer jobs in our state!
Here's the good news: people all over the state the country are rising up to stop anti-environment bills like this that would roll back protections and put our communities at risk. Join that movement in Connecticut by telling Speaker Joe Aresimowicz and your State Representatives to oppose Senate Bill 996.
I oppose Senate Bill 996 that would repeal the Bottle Bill and replace the bottle deposit with a non-refundable bottle tax.
Connecticut's bottle deposit law (the Bottle Bill) is a proven-effective way to increase recycling and keep our environment free from bottles and cans that would otherwise litter our roadways, beaches, and open spaces. According to national recycling data, states with deposit systems in place have container recycling rates that are more than twice as high as states without a bottle deposit, making the Bottle Bill one of the most effective environmental laws in Connecticut!
The bottle deposit works because it places a value on bottles and cans that would otherwise end up littering our environment. Eliminating the bottle deposit and replacing it with a tax would destroy any value those containers currently hold, leading to a noticeable increase in pollution along our roads, beaches, and open spaces.
Consumers would also be hurt with a regressive tax. Rather than receive a 100% refundable deposit, consumers would pay a 4-cent tax, which they could not get back. Additionally, it would shift the costs of recycling away from the beverage manufacturers and onto Connecticut taxpayers. Without a refundable bottle deposit, cash-strapped municipalities could see a spike in expenses of up to $6.9 million annually, as they would then be responsible for the collection, storage, and recycling or disposal of beverage containers.
Repealing the Bottle Bill could also result in the loss of approximately 500-600 jobs in our state, as the elimination of the bottle deposit would deal a crippling blow to redemption centers, trucking firms, and other businesses in Connecticut involved with collecting and processing returnable containers. Eliminating the bottle deposit would be a significant step backward for our state's recycling goals and would inevitably lead to more litter in our communities, higher taxes, and the loss of green jobs in Connecticut.
[Your comments here]
Please protect our state's environmental legacy and vote NO on Senate Bill 996.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
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