Efforts To Expand Iowa Bottle Bill Fizzle

Legislation to expand Iowa's bottle bill to include bottled water and sports drinks failed to gain traction from state lawmakers.

February 24, 2012

DES MOINES, IA - Iowa lawmakers earlier this weak dismissed a proposal to expand the state??s bottle bill, Omaha World Herald reports.

House Study Bill 652 would have expanded Iowa??s 1978 bottle bill, including water bottles and sports drinks under the bill. But the bill??s floor manager said the bill would not move forward this year.

"I'm not a big fan of expanding the bottle bill," said state Rep. Jason Schultz. "I'm not sold on the positives. Back home, the district tells me they're interested in keeping what we have. I don't have a lot of interest from constituents in expanding and storing and hauling more bottles, more containers."

Iowa law requires residents to pay a 5-cent deposit on cans and bottles for all carbonated and alcoholic beverages, money that is returned if the empty containers are returned to a store or redemption center.

Advocates arguing to expand the law said the types of beverages consumed have changed and grown in number since the law was enacted more than 30 years ago. Accordingly, they say the law should be updated to include water bottles and sports drinks.

The bill would also double the "handling fee" paid to retailers by distributors from one cent to two cents for plastic containers. The increased fee would help retailers cover the cost of handling the containers.

Opponents of the bill point to neighboring states that do not have bottle laws and the fraud that ensues.

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