Beverage Container Recycling Act
Bill textSenator Muña-Barnes has introduced deposit legislation in Guam for the second year in a row; this year, the pledged support of the military will be an asset to the success of the bill.
| Bill Number and Name | Bill #149, Guam Beverage Container Recycling Act Bill text |
|---|---|
| Primary Sponsor | Tina Rose Muña-Barnes, F.B. Aguon, Jr. |
| Beverages Covered | All nonalcoholic beverages, beer, ale, malt beverages, mixed spirits, mixed wine. Excludes milk, supplements, and medicines. |
| Containers Covered | Any sealed glass, metal, or plastic container, up to 64 oz. |
| Deposits | 5¢ |
| Handling Fees | None |
| Other Fees / Taxes | 20% of the deposit (1¢) per container retained by Guam Environmental Protection Agency (GEPA) |
| Reclamation System | Return to redemption centers |
| Unredeemed Deposits | Retained by GEPA |
An essential part of the introduction to the bill is an explanation of how the military has agreed to support the bill providing it is similar to Hawaii's deposit system. The military was previously unwilling to cooperate with proposed deposit regulations, which thwarted the progress of previous bottle bills in Guam. The bill will not come into effect until the military has signed a voluntary agreement "that provides for such deposit fees to be assessed and collected throughout Guam, including all locations both on and off federal property, in the manner described in such voluntary agreement." The deposit system will come to an end at any time the agreement comes to an end.
Another concern with previously introduced bottle bills is that the deposit system would undermine Guam's IRecycle program, an aluminum reycling program which collects money for schools. The bill's introduction states that the deposit system would not compete with IRecycle, but rather bring in more material and thus more profit for the program.
The bill sets waste reduction goals of at least five percent (5%) each year from 2010 to 2016, achieving a thirty-five percent (35%) reduction by the year 2016. Additionally, if a waste-to-energy plant is established in Guam during those years, the yearly reduction goals will be increased by 5%.
Beverage containers must be approved by the Guam Environmental Protection Agency (GEPA) before they can be sold with a deposit, and containers will only be approved if a process to
recycle, reuse, convert to energy, or physically remove
them from Guam exists.
Sets up the Beverage Container Recycling Deposit Fund, to be maintained by the GEPA and to be used to administer the program and fund programs to increase recycling.
Provisions in the bill also explain the reporting system to which beverage distributors must adhere and the process by which redemption centers are licensed. Creates an advisory committee to assist in the development of all rules needed to implement the law.
A number of amendments were made in committee, mostly relating to the law's effective date, and having little effect on the law's substance. One significant amendment allows the EPA to change the deposit amount.
Detailed records of the process leading to the bill's passage were consolidated and made available to the public in a PDF. The legislative file contains voting history and written testimony on the bill, as well as the original version of the bill. The law was signed on December 30, 2010.
June 12, 2009: Introduced and referred to Rules committee.
December 22, 2010: Passed out of Senate
December 30, 2010: Signed into law