Newly reintroduced legislation could expand the “bottle bill” in Michigan. If signed into law, the state’s current 10-cent deposit would extend to include certain soft drinks, beer, and other carbonated beverages and all other non-carbonated beverages, except for milk containers. The two bills, Senate Bill 453 and House Bill 4904, were introduced by Sen. Sean McCann (D-Kalamazoo) and Rep. Christine Morse (D-Texas Township).
“Over 40 years ago, Michigan became a pioneer with its historic ‘Bottle Bill’ to promote recycling and prevent littering,” McCann said. “To this day, it is our state’s most widely used and accepted state conservation program. We have an opportunity and responsibility to expand upon the success of the iconic legislation from the 1970s. There is no good reason that some of our plastic, glass and aluminum water bottles, and other single-use containers are not returnable when we have a functioning system that consumers and retailers are familiar with. We must act to protect our future by expanding our beverage container recycling system to keep bottles and cans out of landfills now!”
“By updating our current bottle return system and adding additional incentives, we can continue to solidify Michigan as one of the leaders in our nation when it comes to bottle returns,” Morse saiad. “I look forward to working with Senator McCann and stakeholders to strengthen our return system and keep our environment clean.”