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Bottle bill proposals in Rhode Island are nothing new.
The General Assembly has considered some form or another since at least the early 1980s.
A bill has always been the subject of controversy and often heated debates. Not one has ever passed. So it should come as no surprise that the issue has made a return, especially with the current trend of “going green” becoming very popular.
Senate Majority Leader Teresa Paiva Weed introduced the bill with that simple philosophy in mind, to provide a sustainable method for capturing more beverage containers for recycling. And with good reason. National statistics state Americans consume about 70 million plastic beverage containers per day. In addition, only one out of 10 are recycled.
There’s no doubt that the problem stems from the popularity of bottled water. Since 1995, the amount of plastic bottles has more than tripled and keeps on rising. Ironically, many national studies have shown tap water to be as clean as bottled water.
Understandably, beverage stores on the border have their doubts and are concerned the extra fee will cause people to go elsewhere.
Other commercial establishments have their doubts on the recycling centers. The bill doesn’t address the fact that at least 10 recycling centers will be needed, and it’s safe to assume supermarkets will be asked to tow the line.
Indeed, there are some problems with the proposal and a start-up date in the summer of 2009 is very aggressive. But in one shape or another, the bill is needed.
Let’s get some things straight, though. It’s not a tax, and the purpose isn’t to generate money. Actually, it will cause the state landfill authority to lose money. It’s about space. Our landfill cannot handle much more, and plastic containers consume much of what’s left.
It’s about recycling. Although the state has mandatory recycling laws, they are inept, hence the bottle bill proposal. Current laws are also unenforceable. They haven’t worked, plain and simple. Yes, some details need to be ironed out, but there’s no doubt the time has come for a better way, a more effective way, to recycle.
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