McCann and Morse push to expand Michigan’s bottle bill to include 10-cent deposit to all non-carbonated beverages except for milk containers

LANSING, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – Senator Sean McCann of Kalamazoo and State Representative Christine Morse of Texas Township have reintroduced legislation to update and modernize Michigan’s recycling system by expanding Michigan’s 40-year-old “Bottle Bill” law.

Senate Bill 453 and House Bill 4904 would extend Michigan’s current 10-cent deposit on certain soft drinks, beer, and other carbonated beverages to all other non-carbonated beverages, except for milk containers.

Among other reforms, the bills would:

Require universal redemption, allowing consumers to take any recyclable containers to a large store while allowing smaller stores to maintain smaller takebacks;

Create a bottle-handling fund to reimburse distributors and dealers on a per-bottle-basis;

Make funding available for audits and fraud enforcement; and

Provide $25 million each year to address contaminated sites.