Bottle Bill - SB 1037: An Act Concerning Solid Waste Management

Bottle Bill - SB 1037: An Act Concerning Solid Waste Management

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Time Range For Action Alert: 
April 1, 2021 to April 9, 2021
April 1, 2021
 

 

Action on the BOTTLE BILL, contained in SB 1037: An Act Concerning Solid Waste Management is needed now.

This bill would make redemption more convenient, reduce litter and lower costs to municipalities and taxpayers by diverting more recyclable materials from municipal waste. 

Official Bill Page Text of Bill

The Environment Committee advanced the Bottle Bill to the Senate floor with some changes, while keeping the three most important provisions: an increased handling fee, a 10-cent deposit, and expansion to include other beverages (nips are still included, wine and other spirits are not). 

We expect the bill to be sent from the Senate to the FINANCE COMMITTEE before the Senate takes a vote.

ACTION

Step 1: If your legislator/s are on the Finance Committee, please contact them ASAP explaining that you understand the bottle bill, SB 1037, will be sent to and voted on in the committee and ask them to vote "yes" and consider cosponsoring the bill.

FINANCE COMMITTEE PAGE

Not sure who your legislators are or how to contact them? Use the Connecticut Business & Industry Association lookup tool:

FIND YOUR LEGISLATORS 

Step 2: If your legislator/s voted "yea" in the Environment Committee, please thank them and ask them to cosponsor the bill: Environment Committee Vote Tally Sheet (Joint Favorable Substitute).

If your legislator is not on the Environment Committee and you have not yet asked them to co-sponsor the bill, please do so ASAP.Thank you to those who of you who have asked legislators to cosponsor the bill!

Environment Committee Page

View the most recent cosponsor list on the Official Bill Page: 

Official Bill Page for SB 1037 

Step 3: Contact Kathy Golas, kcgolas [at] aol.com for additional information. And, please report all legislator responses to Kathy. Thank you.

Highlights of the bill:

  • Raises the handling fee on covered containers to 3.5 cents. (Effective July of 2021)

  • Increases the deposit on covered containers from 5 to 10 cents. (Effective January 2022)

  • Expands the program to cover non-carbonated beverages including juices, teas, sports drinks, kombucha, hard cider and liquor nips. (Effective July 2022)

  • Allows beverage distributor to keep 18% of the unclaimed deposits for the 1st two years and 20% after that, to help offset the cost of the handling fee raise.

  • Includes a series of changes to update/modernize the existing statute to reflect current market practice.
Sample message to adapt:
 
To: [Committee Member]
Subject: Support SB 1037
Dear [Name of Committee Member]:
I am [Your Name] from [Town or Zip Code] and I write in support of SB 1037 which would update the Bottle Bill to help make recycling work, reduce litter, and lower costs to municipalities. Please vote "yes" on this bill and consider becoming a cosponsor.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Town or Zip Code]
 

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For more information:

 

Bottle Bill FactsheetPrimer on the Bottle Bill

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Issues referenced by this action alert: 
Environment