Bill text| Bill Number and Name | H.574 Bill text |
|---|---|
| Primary Sponsor | Marcotte, Michael |
| Handling Fees | 3.5¢ for containers part of a commingling program; 4¢ for containers not part of a commingling program |
| Reclamation System | Adds a provision that redemption centers and retailers should not accept containers which are not labeled with the Vermont refund value |
Vermont House Bill 574 made a number of changes to the deposit law, mostly affecting distributors, redemption centers, and retailers accepting returns.
Most notably, the handling fee was changed to allow for commingling programs. The redemption centers wanted to reduce the amount of brand sorting that they did, and the beverage manufacturers wanted to avoid the increase in the handling fee from 3.5 to 4 cents. So, the lower handling fee is available for manufacturers that agree to commingle materials with other manufacturers, so that all same-material containers can be commingled together, instead of sorted by brand.
In addition, the law was changed to specify that redemption centers and retailers should not accept containers which are not labeled with the Vermont refund value.
The bill also created a new requirement that beverage companies register each beverage container with the Agency of Natural Resources.
Section 4 of the bill creates additional requirements for redemption center operators.
The bill sets up a commingling pilot program, expiring in June 2010. By January of 2010, the Secretary of Natural Resources is required to report to the Committees on Natural Resources on the success of the pilot program. The report, indicating an overall positive response to the commingling program, is available here. [pdf]