Beverage containers compose less than 6% [1] (by weight) of municipal solid waste, but the upstream environmental effects of container wasting are disproportionately high. For example, beverage containers account for 20% of the greenhouse gas emissions resulting from replacing wasted containers with new containers made from virgin materials.[2] By increasing collection and recycling of these containers, bottle bills mitigate their negative environmental effects.
[1]United States Environmental Protection Agency, Municpal Solid Waste in the United States: 2011 Facts and Figures (2013) Table 19
[2] Usman Valiante, “Energy to Waste: Measuring diversion by weight distracts us from more environmentally revelant criteria,” Solid Waste & Recycling April/May 2000.