Expanding California's Bottle Bill
The Case for Expanding California's Container Recycling Law ("The Bottle Bill") to Include Wine and Liquor Containers 
Summary of Proposal
Legislation should be enacted to expand California's successful Container Recycling Program to include wine and liquor bottles. More than 600 million glass & plastic wine and liquor bottles are generated in California, more than 70% of which are currently littered or land filled. Providing a 5 and 10 cent consumer refund will substantially increase the recycling of these containers, reduce urban litter, conserve natural resources and help to create jobs.
The Problem
California's 20 year old Container Recycling Program has achieved a 70% recycling rate for the more than 22 billion beer, soft drink, water and other beverage containers covered by the law. More than 600 million glass and increasingly plastic wine & liquor bottles are sold in California annually. Less than 30% of these containers are currently recycled. State and National sales, recycling and disposal data suggests that California is land filling more than 320,000 tons of glass wine and liquor bottles alone. While more than 70% of California households have access to curbside recycling, less than 25% of wine and liquor bottles are recycled at curbside. And because the scrap value for wine and liquor bottles doesn't cover the cost of curbside recycling, local governments and ratepayers currently pay more than $10 million annually to subsidize the cost. The cost to local governments for collection and disposal is even higher-more than $40 million annually.
The Opportunity
Adding Wine and Liquor bottles to the recycling program with a refund value of 5 to 10 cents (depending on size) will at minimum increase glass recycling by 175,000-200,000 tons annually. Additionally, the increased recycling will save local governments more than $23 million in collection and disposal costs and save an additional $10 million in unsupported recycling costs-a net benefit to local governments and ratepayers of more than $33 million annually. Glass containers can be recycled again and again without loss of quality. Using recycled cullet instead of virgin materials consumes 40% less energy. For every ton of glass recycled, 1 ton of natural resources of conserved, including 1,300 pounds of sand, 410 pounds of soda ash, 380 pounds of limestone, and 160 pounds of feldspar. Recycling glass containers also reduces the amount of material headed to landfills. Wine and liquor bottles are a significant and dangerous component of urban litter. By putting a value on these containers, the CRV program will drastically reduce their littering, as the program has for other beverage containers.
Current Law
The California Beverage Container Recycling and Litter Reduction Act requires beverage distributors to pay a redemption payment to the Department of Conservation, which pays out a refund when containers are recycled. The CRV is $0.05 for containers less than 24 oz. and $0.10 for containers that are 24. oz. or greater. Currently, the program includes beer, wine coolers and distiller spirit coolers, carbonated water and soda, non-carbonated water, non-carbonated soft drinks and sport drinks, fruit drinks, coffee and tea drinks. Recyclers at more than 2000 grocery stores and other locations provide Californians with the opportunity to redeem their recyclables. Additionally, containers ‘donated' to non-profits and curbside recycling programs receive program revenue.
Addition to the California Bottle Bill
Resolution Urging the California State Legislature to introduce and support legislation to include wine and liquor bottles in the Beverage Container Recycling Reduction Act.
WHEREAS, California's Bottle Bill incentivizes the recycling of containers by putting a redemption value ("CRV") on containers that is redeemed by consumers when recycled; and,
WHEREAS, nearly 500,000 tons of non-CRV wine and liquor containers are distributed annually in the state; and,
WHEREAS, Less than 30% of non-CRV glass containers are recycled, while almost 70% of CRV glass containers are recycled; and,
WHEREAS, Adding Wine and Liquor bottles to the CRV Program would increase total glass recycling in California by up to 200,000 tons annually; and,
WHEREAS, Increasing the recycling of glass will reduce energy consumption, save natural resources and decrease the amount of material deposited in landfills, create jobs; and,
WHEREAS, Wine and liquor bottles are a significant and dangerous component of urban litter; and,
WHEREAS, Including wine and liquor bottles in the CRV program will significantly reduce their littering; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the City of _____ supports and hereby urges its State Assembly Members and Senators, by letter and receipt of this resolution, to introduce and support legislation adding wine and liquor containers to the Beverage Container Recycling and Reduction Act.
Support
Alameda County Waste Management Authority - Letter of Support (pdf)
In the Media