Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire You guys that have Bottle and Can Deposits

What do you think about this, I rteally would like to see Colorado enact a Can and Bottle deposit. Les

Deposits on bottled water?
Group pushes to spread law to other nonrefundable containers littering state
BY TINA LAM � FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER � June 18, 2008

The Michigan United Conservation Clubs threw its considerable political weight Tuesday behind a plan to extend Michigan's first-in-the-nation bottle deposit law to containers for water, juice and tea bottles.

The containers, especially pervasive plastic water bottles, have become a national hot-button issue as people have switched from sodas and coffee to bottled water. The bottles are controversial because they often end up in roadside litter and require petroleum for their production and delivery.

Michiganders return 97% of their beer and soda cans and bottles, which are subject to a 10-cent deposit, but they throw away 80% of other beverage bottles, which have no deposit.

Now MUCC, which was the muscle behind the 1976 referendum passed by voters nearly 2-1, wants to make containers that weren't in use 32 years ago subject to the law. To change the law, a three-fourths vote of both chambers of the Legislature would be required -- in the face of opposition from grocers, other retailers and the bottled water industry.

"Bottled water and sports drinks weren't around when voters approved Michigan's deposit law in 1976," said Dennis Muchmore, executive director of MUCC. "It's time for Michigan to step back to the plate."

He urged citizens to call senators and representatives to push for passage of the measure before the legislators go home for the July 4 holiday.

Grocers say they want a penny sales tax added to all sales more than $2 that could be used for recycling programs statewide.

Adding water bottles and other beverages to the deposit law isn't right, said Ed Deeb, president of the Michigan Food and Beverage Association.

"We won't stand for it," he said. "We've had enough of the bottle deposit law. Grocery stores should not be rubbish collectors or recycling centers."

Grocers dislike the existing law because it means many dirty cans and bottles are returned to stores -- sometimes with insects, rodents and chemicals inside, said Linda Grobler, president of the Michigan Grocers Association. Each machine that scans returnables costs $20,000, money the stores can't recoup, she said.

People already illegally turn in bottles from states without deposit laws, collecting a dime per bottle, she said. Adding water and juice bottles to the list will increase the fraud, she said.

Only 10 other states have bottle deposits; no states surrounding Michigan have them.

Those who sell drinks want the Legislature to fix that problem by amending the bottle law to require special markings on Michigan aluminum cans and cameras in stores that could read the markings, rejecting cans bought in another state.

Opening up the bottle bill to amendments is dangerous, since those who don't like it could use the opportunity to slash some of its provisions, Muchmore said. That's why MUCC decided to initiate its own move to amend it, he said.

"If it's going to be amended, we're going to defend it, and even take an offensive posture" by adding water and other bottles to it, he said.

MUCC's own polling shows 75% of Michigan voters support the change, he said.

Water bottlers don't want their product added to the deposit list, but Andy Such, lobbyist for the Michigan Bottled Water Council, said he doesn't know how hard they'll fight it.

"Our concern is for the retailers," he said.

Nationally, 44% of drink bottles are recycled, compared with more than 80% in states with bottle deposits.

In 2005, each Michigan resident bought an average of 338 bottles and cans of pop and 138 containers of water and other non-carbonated beverages, according to the Container Recycling Institute. More than 1.1 billion plastic bottles were thrown out in Michigan.

Although there currently is a backlash against bottled water, with cities such as Ann Arbor banning it at meetings and in offices, sales of water and non-fizzy drinks grew from 2.2 billion gallons in 1990 to 8.8 billion in 2007, according to the International Bottled Water Association.

If the legislative plan doesn't fly, a future statewide ballot initiative is possible, said James Clift, policy director of the Michigan Environmental Council.

"I think it would pass easily," he said.

Contact TINA LAM at 313-222-6421 or tlamfreepress.com.

Violator22 - We have it here in CT and it's started a whole new line of work. Some people don't bring back thier bottles and cans and just leave them in the recycling bin. So people will walk the streets and collect them to return them for the deposit. Overall, I see some improvement in the trash on the sides of the road but not much. Oh, they love to raise the depoist amount. Great income for the State on un-collected deposits..

The impact of the original deposit law here in Michigan has been nothing short of astounding. It does place some burden on retailers but the difference in the roadsides, streams, and public lands is night and day better. I'm old enough to remember what a mess there was from canoeists and campers tossing beer cans. Same with the roads. All virtually gone now. Best law ever enacted and I hope MUCC pushes the additions through.

Well, in pioneering Oregon the bottle deposit has opened up a whole new business: meth freaks and dopers stealing cans and hanging around return centers scrounging for cash.

Perhaps, Oregon45, but I lived in Portland for 18 years and am still amazed that you almost never saw a can on the roadside. Here in Helena, tossing cans and bottles out car windows is something that is not unusual. And there are on every road side.

I am reminded of an old joke:

A Texan, a Californian and a Oregonian are sitting around a campfire swapping stories and drinking.

The Texan swig down some Tequila, tosses the half empty bottle into the air, draws his Colt 45 and shots it. The other remark on the waste of half a bottle of Tequila.

The Texan replies: "Down along the Texas border, there's more tequila than water. No loss."

The Californian drinks half his bottle of Chablis, tosses the bottle into the air, draws his Glock and shoots it. Again, the others remark on the waste of wine.

The Californian relies: "In California we have more white wine that we know what to do with. No loss."

Finally, the Oregonian sucks down his bottle of craft brew beer, throws the bottle into the air, whips out a shotgun and shoots the Californian, and then catches the bottle.

He looks at the dumbfounded Texan: "In Oregon, we have more Californians than we need, but a bottle's worth a nickel."

Les once your kids start driving they'll love it. Ya won't believe how fast the garbage bags full of cans disappear out of the garage (gas money).

I know, I used to do it to my Dad.

Why does that not surprise me................................

Whatever do you mean, heck the IGA in White Pigeon knew on a 1st name basis.

I used to go to Kroger in Indiana and buy cans of soda and then take the empty can to IGA, because they were marked MI 10cent deposit.

We have it here in Alberta. Great way to make some coin!! I pickup the empties I see laying around the streets etc when I take the dog for a walk. Drive down to the park on a Sat or Sun AM after the bush parties and collect the empties. I've paid for a couple of nice hunting and fishing trips that way. Bought a used Jeep Cherokee with empty beer can deposits a few years ago as well.

Yep, from Oregon here. Our deposites were really quite notable when crossing into bordering states that had none (Idaho and Nevada). I think, they have come on line now. Our work outfit does about a 3-mile section of highway clean up each spring. Pop and beer cans are almost non existent. For awhile when wine coolers were vogue, they were the bulk of the load. This year it was mostly water bottles, and paper cups from the fast food joints.

The deposites are pain for the big stores because they get most of the returns. Small outfits collect lots of deposites, but seldom have to pay out for returns. While a bit inconvenient, they do help clean up the landscape, and they are a serious source of income for a variety of fund raisers. 1Minute