The National Stewardship Action Council (NSAC) spearheaded a “Walk the Halls” educational event on February 28th on behalf of a diverse group of businesses, non-profits, recyclers, constituents, and other interested parties that wish to see a national recycling refund introduced and passed in the United States. Recycling Refund policies ensure that consumers pay a deposit when purchasing beverages in bottles or cans and receive a refund upon returning the empty containers for recycling.
“There is widespread bipartisan support for the concept of introducing a national recycling refund which will ensure valuable resources become feedstock for the next generation of containers,” NSAC’s Executive Director, Heidi Sanborn, stated. “Littering results in a high cost not only to the environment but to local governments to clean up the blight. A national recycling refund could harmonize a program across states, making compliance easier for producers that sell nationally.”
NSAC convened representatives including Alpek Polyester, Blue Triton Brands, Can Manufacturers Institute, Container Recycling Institute, Knauf Insulation, O-I Glass Inc., CLYNK, Clean Water Action of Rhode Island, Virginia Bottle Bill, and others, committed to advancing an equitable, circular economy. The U.S. has 10 states with recycling refunds, with the first being Oregon passed in 1971 – over 50 years ago. The states with recycling refunds on average recycle 65% as compared to only 24% in non-recycling refund states. An additional benefit is that studies suggest that a national recycling refund could create nearly 100,000 jobs.
“Upwards of 75% of people in the U.S. support Recycling Refunds, but only 24% or so live in a state that has Recycling Refunds. Right now, we are landfilling staggering amounts of all kinds of recyclables. Sadly, these materials (millions of tons) are buried when they can be returned as manufacturing feedstock and put back to work in the U.S. economy. We have this massive source of domestic raw materials that would improve our supply chain security – let alone the sustainability benefits” explained Randy Burns, Chief Sustainability and Corporate Affairs Officer for O-I Glass Inc.
Susan Collins, President of the Container Recycling Institute said, “Decades of data show that beverage container deposit return systems (DRS, aka recycling refunds) are the single most effective solution to increase container recycling rates, and their adoption is expanding rapidly across the globe.”
Recycling Refunds have bi-partisan and business support because they provide businesses with the needed supply of post-consumer metals, glass, and plastic. Currently, companies cannot obtain enough recycled materials to meet their own recycled content targets even though there is plenty of material available if it was collected. “We are proud to partner with stakeholders working to pass this data-driven, market-based policy solution to waterborne litter in Texas and the nation” said Texans for Clean Water President, Maia Corbitt.