The value of all recyclable bottles and cans just doubled from a nickel to a dime in Connecticut. Connecticut’s new bottle bill kicked in on New Year’s Day, doubling the deposit from 5 cents to 10 cents per bottle or can be redeemed. It means people make more when the bottles are redeemed, but it’s also a fee passed down to the customer, so it also means people pay more when they buy beverages.
Connecticut’s bottle bill was first passed in 1978 allowing redemption on things like soda cans. It wasn’t expanded until 2009 to include water bottles. And then again in 2021 to include energy drinks, juices, and teas. “Unfortunately, some of them still are not covered by bottle deposit most notably those that contain liquor and I think it would be appropriate for the bottle bill to be expanded further,” remarked Conrad Cutler, president of Returnable Container Management.
Cutler runs the Stratford facility where there’s a cash machine and no need to sort by material. Five machines can sort up to 300 beverage containers per minute per machine. The containers then get automatically sorted and compacted. The bottle boost brought new and returning customers to Stratford.