CO, WA legislatures introduce bottle bills

Bills have been introduced in the Colorado and Washington legislatures that would add them to the 11 states that have passed legislation enacting beverage container deposit systems.

The bill in Colorado would attach a 5-cent deposit on many consumer beverages that can be redeemed when turned in for recycling. It would also direct any unclaimed deposits toward the state's k-12 schools. If passed, it would cover a wide range of beverages including water, spirits, wine, tea, coffee in addition to products typically covered under other bottle bills.

In Washington State, a similar bill has been introduced in the Legislature that would also establish a nickel deposit on all nearly drink containers. Additionally, it would also require that plastic rings used to hold drink cans must decompose or degrade within 120 days of disposal.

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