BACKGROUND, of the New York State 2008 Bigger Better Bottle Bill:

New York's Returnable Container Act, better known as the "Bottle Bill" 
was originally enacted in 1982.  The bottle bill, which requires a 5-cent 
refundable deposit on beer and soda containers sold in New York, has 
been New York's most successful recycling and litter prevention 
program.  That original Bottle Bill placed a 5-cent refundable deposit on 
beer, soda, and wine coolers sold in New York.  Because of the deposit, 
nearly 70% of these bottles and cans get returned and then recycled.  
(As comparison, curbside recycling programs capture less than 20% of 
non-deposit beverage containers such as water bottles.)

Over the past 25 years more than 90 billion bottles and cans have been 
returned and recycled through the bottle bill.  More than six million tons 
of plastic, glass, and metal have been kept out of our landfills and 
incinerators.  There is less litter and broken glass in our streets, 
parks, playgrounds, and beaches, making them safer, cleaner, and more 
attractive.  The bottle bill has worked hand in hand with local recycling 
programs to make our communities cleaner and healthier places to live.

The new "Bigger Better Bottle Bill" would update the law to include a
5-cent deposit on non-carbonated beverages such as water, juice, iced
tea, and sports drinks.  It would also require beverage distributors
to transfer unclaimed nickel deposits to the State Environmental
Protection Fund.  The Executive budget estimates that this would
raise $25 million in the 2008-09 fiscal year and $100 million
annually thereafter. 

The New York State Assembly passed the Bigger Better Bottle Bill in 
2005 and 2006, and supported it in last year's state budget.  But 
each year, the New York State Senate has blocked this common-sense 
measure from moving forward.  Supporters have between now and 
April 1st, when the budget is supposed to be adopted, to convince the 
politicians in Albany to include the updated bottle bill in the final 
state budget.

TALKING POINTS

** The Legislature has a responsibility to make our communities 
cleaner and healthier.  Each year that state law-makers fail to 
update New York's Bottle Bill, more than two billion water bottles 
and other non-deposit containers end up in the trash or littering our 
communities.  It's time to update the Bottle Bill to include these 
containers.

** After 25 years, the Bottle Bill is still New York's most effective 
recycling and litter prevention program.  But consumer tastes have 
changed, and it's time to update the program.  Bottled water and other 
non-carbonated beverages make up nearly 2/3 of the empty bottles 
and cans polluting our parks, beaches, and neighborhoods.  If those 
containers were recycled, we would conserve energy, natural resources, 
and landfill space.

** We need more money for parks, recycling, and programs that protect 
our health and our environment.  The Legislature should close the 
loophole in the law that allows beverage companies to profit when 
people don't reclaim their nickel deposits.  This would generate 
$100 million or more a year in new funding for the state's Environmental 
Protection Fund, money that wouldn't have to come from somewhere else.

** Litter surveys conducted by coastal cleanup volunteers found that 
two-thirds of the bottles and cans polluting New York's rivers and 
beaches are non-deposit containers, and these containers make up 20% 
of the volume of overall total litter.

** Only 20% of non-deposit beverage containers end up in recycling 
bins.  In contrast, 80% of deposit containers are recycled--70% through 
the bottle bill, and another 10% through curbside programs.  The bottle 
bill saves taxpayers' money by making beverage companies responsible 
for the waste they generate, rather than placing the burden on local 
governments.

** The Bigger Better Bottle Bill could generate as much as $100 million 
or more a year to support the Environmental Protection Fund.  Currently, 
beverage companies are keeping an estimated $85-$140 million a year 
in unclaimed deposits from bottles and cans that are not returned.  New 
York is out of step with many other states, which require beverage 
companies to return unclaimed bottle deposits to benefit the public.

SAMPLE MESSAGE TO LEGISLATORS:

I urge you to vote "yes" to include the Bigger Better Bottle Bill in the 
State Budget. The bottle bill is New York's most successful recycling 
and litter prevention program, but it needs to be updated to include 
non-carbonated beverages, which have rapidly increased in popularity.  
It also should be reformed to require beverage companies to transfer all 
the unclaimed deposits to the state to support local environmental needs. 
This proposal will reduce litter in our communities, increase recycling, 
and generate more than $100 million in new revenue to support local 
parks, waterfront revitalization, recycling programs, and other programs 
protecting our land, air, and water to make a healthy environment.

We all have a responsibility to keep our communities clean and healthy.  
But each year that state lawmakers fail to update the bottle bill, more 
than two billion non-deposit containers end up in our landfills or polluting 
our neighborhoods, parks, rivers, and beaches.  Please support the 
Executive budget plan to include the Bigger Better Bottle Bill in the state 
budget this year.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Contact Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter staff, Norreida Reyes, Conservation 
Director, or Roger Downs, Conservation Associate, by phone at 
518-426-9144, or by email at Norreida.Reyes@sierraclub.org or 
Roger.Downs@sierraclub.org

Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter
353 Hamilton Street
Albany, New York 12210
518-426-9144