By ohtadmin, The Jamestown Press
A bill has been introduced in the state legislature that sponsors say would “drastically increase recycling rates in Rhode Island.”
The legislation would enact extended producer responsibility and implement a deposit system for beverage bottles.
The extended producer responsibility is a policy that helps reduce waste by shifting the cost of recycling from municipalities to producers. Companies are encouraged through the fees they pay to create sustainable packaging products that are easier to recycle.
The so-called bottle bill aims to increase recycling rates for these oft-littered items by placing a refundable deposit on beverage containers. People can return their empty beverage containers for a refund, giving them incentive not to litter.
Rep. Carol Hagan McEntee, who introduced the bill April 9, served on the special legislative commission that was tasked with studying the waste from bottles and then providing recommendations to protect the environment from them.
“The simple truth is that our recycling system is broken and plastic waste is filling up our landfill to capacity and dirtying our streets and neighborhoods,” she said. “Rhode Island’s recycling rate is a measly 26 percent, and we are polluting our beautiful state at an alarming rate. Something needs to change drastically.”
Roughly 29,000 tons of recyclables from Rhode Island, enough to fill 895 football fields, were rejected in 2024, according to the legislature’s public information bureau. These rejected recyclables are sent to Central Landfill in Johnston due to contamination. This not only shortens the lifespan of the landfill, but it costs taxpayers money. Providence, for example, paid $1.14 million in fees for its rejected recyclables in 2024.
Jed Thorpe, director of advocacy for Save The Bay, supports the bill.
“Single-use beverage containers are a massive litter and waste problem,” he said. “Plastic beverage bottles clog storm drains, float into rivers and streams, and break down into microplastic bits that pollute the bay.
“Bottle bills work. For over a year, Save The Bay, allies, elected officials and stakeholders studied solutions to beverage bottle waste and pollution. The legislative study commission heard from recycling experts from around the country, examined data from other states, and dove deep into our own Rhode Island recycling and waste systems. It’s now clearer than ever that bottle bills work to reduce litter and improve recycling. It’s time for legislative action.” …
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