Bottle Bill Modernization Signed Into Law

Governor Kitzhaber signs House Bill 3145 to bring Bottle Bill into 21st Century.

Courtesy: deltasd.bc.ca

(SALEM, Ore.) - With the stroke of a pen, today Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber brought the state’s Bottle Bill into the 21st century. By signing House Bill 3145 into law, he concluded the journey to update a remarkable piece of Oregon history.

“Both 40 years ago and then again today, Oregon has shown that it can be a national leader on both consumer and environmental protections,” said OLCV Executive Director Jon Isaacs. “The Bottle Bill attracted a broad, bipartisan coalition and was signed into law because it’s a common-sense proposal, and I’d like to thank the bill’s sponsors and all of the individuals and groups who helped this bill become law.”

Nearly forty years ago Oregon became the first state in America to pass a Bottle Bill to address a growing litter problem on our beaches, roads, and public lands. HB 3145 is a critical priority for the entire environmental community because updating the Bottle Bill to add beverage containers like sports drinks and teas will reduce confusion among consumers and will increase recycling rates of containers that would otherwise end up in a landfill or as litter.

Bottle Bill modernization will also use an increased deposit from 5 to 10 cents to encourage higher recycling rates, reducing waste and helping to meet or exceed recycling goals. This increase would kick in if recycling rates drop below 80% for two consecutive calendar years. This would begin in 2017 for current Bottle Bill containers and 2021 newly-added containers.

“When it comes to conservation and looking out for consumers, updating the Bottle Bill is just another chapter in our state’s storied history,” said former OLCV Environmental Champion of the Year state Representative Ben Cannon (D-Portland), who co-sponsored HB 3145. “I’m proud that future generations will be able to look back at our actions and see today as a red letter day for protecting our state’s great natural beauty.”

Source: Oregon Legislature