Des Moines, Iowa — Iowa grocery stores could opt out of accepting empty containers covered by the state’s nickel deposit law under legislation that has cleared a Senate subcommittee.
Senator Ken Rozenboom, a Republican from Oskaloosa, says his bill is an attempt to tweak, but not end the state’s popular “Bottle Bill.”
(as said) “The bill very intentionally makes simple, but fundamental improvements in our current process,” Rozenboom says.
Jess Mazour, a lobbyist for the Sierra Club, says the bill would make it less convenient for consumers to get their deposit fees back.
(as said) “By allowing grocery stores and convenience stores to opt out, that will hinder a lot of people’s ability or just willingness to take things back if it’s not as convenient as possible,” she says. “A lot of people take their cans and bottles back when they go buy groceries and if they now have to make an extra trip, somewhere up to 20 miles away, we could actually see a reduction in return rates.”
As the bill is currently written, a retailer may refuse to accept cans and bottles if there’s a redemption center within 20 miles of the store. Mary Tarnoff of Fairfield, legislative action chair for the Sierra Club of Southeast Iowa, says it’s not reasonable to expect someone to drive 20 miles to recycle.
(as said) “It’s not just 20 miles, it’s actually 40 miles because you have to go there and you have to come back,” she says, “and that’s like an hour of your day to recycle and I just don’t think that’s practical.”
Rozenboom says his attempt to modernize the Bottle Bill, like countless others, may be doomed if competing interest groups aren’t willing to compromise.
(as said) “I think this is a chance to change that dynamic,” Rozenboom says, “and I’d encourage each one of you to be part of a solution rather than part of the problem.”
Beer and liquor distributors keep all the deposit fees that are not redeemed today and Rosenboom says it’s grown “into a very large sum of money.” His bill would have that money turned over the state.
