CLARK CALLS FOR UPDATED BOTTLE BILL

BOSTON, MA—State Senator Katherine Clark today called for an update to the state’s bottle bill. Senator Clark has co-sponsored legislation that would include water, juice, energy drink and sport drink bottles in the Commonwealth’s deposit-refund system.

In testimony to the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy, Senator Clark said, “The case for updating the bottle bill is clear. It will save our cities and towns money, it will support job creation, and it will benefit our shared environment by promoting recycling and reducing landfill waste.”

Water, juice and sports drinks now represent over 30% of the beverages sold in Massachusetts and, in part because they are not subject to the current deposit, account for 70% of the non-returnable containers currently entering the waste system.

The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection has found that an expanded bottle bill will save municipalities between $4.2 and $6.9 million annually in litter abatement, avoided collection, and disposal/recycling costs. In addition, research has shown that deposit-return systems for beverage containers create more jobs than curbside recycling and garbage collecting.