Bottle Brawl Averted at Writer's Home

After my February 8 post, Joe Average, a.k.a. my husband Rob, got riled. Something I said made him doubt what he believed growing up. When he read my comment that single-stream recycle haulers don’t relish handling glass, he threatened to quit caring.

Whoa! Calm down, Joe. Tell me your problem.

“Bottle deposits! Ever since I was a boy and had to pay an extra two cents on every pop bottle, I believed that glass was very valuable and that it had to be returned and reused. By collecting bottles, I made money! I’d find them along the road and take them to the store. The store kept them until the deliveryman took them back. The bottles were cleaned and reused, or so I thought. Now you’re telling me they don’t like hauling glass? Or that it just gets crushed and melted? I feel defrauded. Why bother? I’m too busy.”

This outburst is interesting. I think it’s my fault.

First, Joe, don’t be confused by my last post. Single stream recycling haulers and glass recyclers are usually two different entities. Haulers just haul - - that is, they pick it up here and deliver it there. In the single stream or co-mingled recycling process, one container holds everything from cardboard to cans to applesauce jars. Trucks grab your bin from the curb with a hydraulic arm, dumping it and moving on. In the jumble of it all, the glass falls into the truck and often breaks- - it’s not pretty. And it’s not popular with haulers of co-mingled materials.

On the other hand, the glass recyclers perform wonders crushing, washing, melting glass and recreating new containers with it. Recycling glass is good. Recreating with recycled glass uses only 40% of the energy it takes to make glass from new raw materials.

But, I take your other point about bottle deposit. Where are the bottle deposits now?

It’s not just you, Joe. Opinions run strong on this topic. Here are a few fundamentals.

• Eleven states have laws requiring consumers to pay up to 10 cents for bottle deposits. The laws are referred to as bottle bills. (Florida, where we live, doesn’t have one.) Click here for a map of states with BB laws.
• Seven more states are currently seeking bottle bills.
• Proponents of bottle bill legislation say refundable deposits will reduce the amount of glass and plastic going into landfills
• Proponents say refundable deposits reduce roadside litter
• Opponents say deposit puts too much financial burden on consumers and manufacturers
• Opponents say bottle deposit will be hard on consumers who rely on public transportation who would have greater hardship in returning bottles. They are also those who can least afford the added pennies when purchasing.

Here is a link that will steer you to news articles regarding bottle bill legislation in your state. State bottle bill news.

I'm still pondering my position on this. Remember, I'm the one who wakes up early in the morning worrying about glass falling from the recycle bin.