Des Moines, Iowa — Big changes are coming to Iowa’s Bottle Bill.Governor Kim Reynolds has approved a bill that will soon let most grocery stores and other retailers opt out of accepting empty bottles and cans and paying back the nickel deposits. The 44-year-old Bottle Bill was created for the reduction of litter and the encouragement of consumers to recycle their drinking containers.
In the past, grocery stores have complained about being forced to allow these into their stores due to sanitation issues. There are only around 60 redemption centers left, as the fee for handling recycling has remained at a penny per container. This bill signed by Reynolds triples this fee, hoping to encourage more people to open redemption centers.
Those who oppose this bill may think that because many retailers have the chance of opting out of the program, many Iowans, depending on their area, will lose the convenience of returning empty containers, resulting in more litter and trash in the landfill.
Reynolds’ staff also announced late on Friday that the Governor had approved a two-year postponement on new state casino licenses. This hinders developers and city officials who had previously planned to seek a license for a Cedar Rapids casino complex. Reynolds has also given the okay for the new January deer hunting season for areas overrun with deer, and hunters would be allowed to use AR-15 type rifles during that season.
