The 2009 Campaign
Bowen and Bowen, the largest brewer and soft-drink producer in Belize, is the only beverage distributor in the country to pay a refund on every glass drink container returned to them. They are pushing for a mandatory legislated deposit that will apply to imported containers as well.
| Bill Number and Name | Returnable Containers Bill  Bill text unavailable |
|---|---|
| Primary Sponsor | not available |
| Beverages Covered | not available |
| Containers Covered | Any sealed glass or metal bottle used for containing one US gallon or 3.785 litres or less |
| Deposits | 25¢ |
| Handling Fees | not available |
| Other Fees / Taxes | not available |
| Reclamation System | Return to retail |
| Unredeemed Deposits | not available |
Details
The Belize deposit bill, which was introduced in August, only gained great attention in October. According to an October 15 news article, while the bill's supporters cite its environmental benefits, other parties (including environmental groups such as the Belize Audubon Society and the Association of Protected Areas Management Organization) are suspicious. The bill does not include plastic containers and includes no provisions for the recycling of collected containers.
Distributors and store owners also object to the additional expenses and effort that the bill would impose.
At the time of writing, the bill still needs to go through 2 readings in the House of Representatives, but it has not moved, due to the objections.
Progress
August 29, 2009: Introduced in House
August 24, 2009: Passed first reading in House