| State | Name | Dates | Beverages Covered | Containers Covered | Amount of Deposit | Handling Fee | Other Fees | Scrap Revenue | Reclamation System | Unredeemed Deposits | Program Success | History | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | California Beverage Container Recycling and Litter Reduction Act (AB 2020) | Enacted 9/29/1986 Implemented 9/1/1987 | beer, malt, wine & distilled spirits coolers, all non-alcoholic beverages except milk | Aluminum. glass, plastic and bi-metal. Exempts refillables | (10¢: 24oz and greater) and (5¢: under 24oz.) | (Paid by state to supermarket sites, nonprofit convenience zone recyclers, and rural region recyclers.) Department will calculate the monthly handling fee at the rate of $0.01046 per beverage container redeemed. | Beverage manufacturers pay Processing Fees to offset recyclers costs when the cost of recycling exceeds the value of material. Processing Payments paid by state to redemption centers. Processing fees and payments vary by container type. | Retained by the redemption centers | State certified redemption centers, registered curbside operations, dropoffs | Property of program: used for program administration program payments and grants. | Calendar Year 2017 redemption rates: |
Amended in 1990, 2000, 2004, and 2007 | |||
| Notes: For sources and references, see the California Quick Facts page. Containers are returned to licensed redemption centers, not to retailers; Refund value determined by weight for more than 50 containers | |||||||||||||||
| Connecticut | Beverage Container Deposit and Redemption Law | Enacted 4/12/78; Implemented 1/1/80 | Beer, malt, carbonated soft drinks,and bottled water | Any individual, separate, sealed glass, metal or plastic bottle, can, jar or carton containing a beverage. Excluded are containers over 3L containing noncarbonated beverages, and HDPE containers. | 5¢ | Beer 1.5¢, other beverages 2¢ | N/A | Retained by the distributors | Retail stores and redemption centers | Returned to the State | FY'17 |
Amended in 1983, 1986, and 2009 | |||
| Notes: For sources and references, see the Connecticut Quick Facts page. "Dislocation fund" for workers who lost their jobs due to bottle bill | |||||||||||||||
| Hawaii | Solid Waste Management; Deposit Beverage Container Law (Act 176) | Enacted 6/25/02, Implemented 1/1/05 | all nonalcoholic drinks, except for milk or dairy products, and limited alcoholic drinks (beer, malt beverages, mixed spirits, mixed wine). | Aluminum, bi-metal, glass, plastic (PET and HDPE only) up to 68 oz. | 5¢ | Variable fee of 2–4¢ paid to redemption centers from the Deposit Beverage Container Fund. | A non-refundable "container fee" (added to price of beverage) is paid to Deposit Beverage Container fund to help pay redemption centers handling fees. The fee is tied to the previous fiscal year's redemption rate: if <70%, it is set to 1˘; if it is 70% or more, it is set to 1.5˘.. | Retained by the redemption centers | Certified Redemption Centers (CRCs) operated by privately-owned, State-permitted solid waste facilities | Property of state: used for program administration | CY 2017: 65% |
Expanded in 2007 | |||
| Notes: For sources and references, see the Hawaii Quick Facts page. Redemption centers must submit reports regularly, Refund may be calculated by weight | |||||||||||||||
| Iowa | Beverage Container Deposit Law | Enacted 4/1/78, Implemented 6/2/79 | Beer, carbonated soft drinks & mineral water, wine coolers, wine & liquor | any sealed glass, plastic, or metal bottle, can, jar or carton containing a beverage | 5¢ | 1¢, paid by distributor to retailer or redemption center | N/A | Retained by the distributors | Retail stores and redemption centers | Retained by distributor/bottlers | 2017 recycling rates (January–December) PET 60% Aluminum 69% Glass 83% Overall 71% |
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| Notes: For sources and references, see the Iowa Quick Facts page. | |||||||||||||||
| Massachusetts | Beverage Container Recovery Law | Enacted 6/4/81, Implemented 1/1/83 | Beer, malt, carbonated soft drinks, & mineral water | any sealable bottle, can, jar, or carton of glass, metal, plastic, or combo. Excludes biodegradables. | 5¢ | Redemption Centers |
Retained by the distributors | Retail stores and redemption centers | Property of state general fund | CY '17 CY '16 |
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| Notes: For sources and references, see the Massachusetts Quick Facts page. Wholesalers must file monthly reports w/Dept. of Revenue re: deposit & refund, Survived repeal by referendum effort in 1982 by a 60% to 40% vote. | |||||||||||||||
| Maine | Maine Returnable Beverage Container Law | Enacted 1//2/76, Implemented 6/1/78 | All beverages except dairy products, and unprocessed cider and blueberry juice produced in Maine. | all sealed containers made of glass, metal or plastic, containing 4 liters or less, excluding aseptics | Wine/liquor 50mL and above: 15¢ All others: 5¢ | 4¢ (.5¢ less if part of qualified commingling agreement) | Retained by the distributors | Retail stores and redemption centers; Dealers may refuse containers if they have an agreement with a nearby redemption center | Most containers are under a commingling agreement, and unclaimed deposits are property of distributor. If not under a commingling agreement, then unclaimed deposits are property of State. | 2017 redemption rate: 84%. |
Amended in 1980, 1990, 1991, 1993, 2003, 2009 | ||||
| Notes: For sources and references, see the Maine Quick Facts page. Distributors who initiate deposits have the obligation to pick up containers from the dealers they deliver to or from the licensed redemption center that serves those dealers.There is a per container fine of $100 for tendering containers purchased out of state for redemption. | |||||||||||||||
| Michigan | Michigan Beverage Container Law | Enacted 11/2/76, Implemented 12/3/78 | Beer, soft drinks, carbonated & mineral water, wine coolers, canned cocktails | Any airtight metal, glass, paper, or plastic container, or a combination, under 1 gallon | 10¢ | None | Retained by the distributors | Retail stores | 75% to state for envt'l programs, 25% to retailers | Redemption Rates: |
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| Notes: For sources and references, see the Michigan Quick Facts page. Only state with a 10 cent deposit | |||||||||||||||
| New York | New York State Returnable Container Law | Enacted 6/15/82, Implemented 7/1/83 | Carbonated Soft Drinks, Soda Water, Beer and Other Malt Beverages, Wine Products and Water which does not contain sugar (including flavored or nutritionally enhanced water). | An individual, separate, sealed glass, metal, aluminum, steel or plastic bottle, can or jar less than 1 gallon or 3.78 liters. | 5¢ | 3.5¢ | Retained by the distributors | Retail stores and redemption centers | 80% to the state General Fund; 20% retained by distributor | 2016 Overall: 66%
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Amended in 1983, 1998, and 2009 | ||||
| Notes: For sources and references, see the New York Quick Facts page. Requires reporting of containers sold and redeemed by bottlers and distributors | |||||||||||||||
| Oregon | The Beverage Container Act | Enacted 7/2/71, Implemented 1/01/72 | These beverages, in sizes up to and including three liters: water, flavored water, beer and other malt beverages, Mineral water, soda water and carbonated soft drinks. Also these beverages, in sizes of at least four ounces and up to an including 1.5 liters: any beverage other than those specified above, except distilled liquor, wine, dairy or plant-based milks, infant formula or any other beverage excluded by OLCC. Container types include glass, metal and plastic, excluding cartons, foil pouches and drink boxes and metal containers that require a tool to be opened. |
Any individual, separate, sealed glass, metal or plastic bottle, can, jar containing a beverage | 10¢ (Increased from 5¢ as of April 1, 2017) | none | Retained by the distributors | Retail stores or approved redemption centers | Retained by distributor/ bottlers / Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative | 2017 Redemption rate: 78.2% Metal
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Expanded January 1st, 2018 | ||||
| Notes: For sources and references, see the Oregon Quick Facts page. Only deposit law without a handling fee. | |||||||||||||||
| Vermont | Beverage Container Law (1972), Solid Waste Act (1987) | Enacted 4/7/72, Implemented 7/1/73 | Beer, malt, carbonated soft drinks, mixed wine drinks; liquor | Any bottle, can, jar or carton composed of glass, metal, paper, plastic or any combination (Biodegradables excluded) | liquor: 15¢ All others: 5¢ | 4¢ for brand-sorted containers and 3.5¢ for commingled brands | Retained by the distributors | Retail stores and redemption centers, If retailer is located conveniently near a licensed center and thereby gains state approval, retailer may refuse containers | Since the bottle bill's inception, Vermont distributors and bottlers have kept unclaimed deposits. On May 30, 2018, VT Gov. Phil Scott signed S.285, to make unclaimed deposits the property of the State for use on clean water programs. The change will become effective on July 1, 2019. | overall 75% 2017 redemption rate for liquor bottles only: 84% 2016 redemption rate for liquor bottles only: 76% |
Expanded in 1991 | ||||
| Notes: For sources and references, see the Vermont Quick Facts page. | |||||||||||||||
| All States | |||||||||||||||
| Notes:Because reporting requirements for recycling rates vary from state to state, the data is not comparable. Food Stamps: Food stamp benefits can cover the entire cost of items such as eligible drinks in returnable bottles, including the bottle deposit. [a] | |||||||||||||||
| [a] Source: The Food Stamp Program: Training Guide for Retailers. USDA Food and Nutrition Service. December 2002 (http://www.dss.state.va.us/pub/pdf/ebt_retguide.pdf) | |||||||||||||||