Activists pushing to double and expand bottle deposit

Another push is underway to convince the General Assembly to double the state’s nickel bottle deposit and expand recycling efforts.

Other Green legislation likely to be introduced during the legislative session that begins next month includes setting strict water quality standards for PFAS chemicals — dangerous compounds found in firefighting foam and everyday products.

“The bottle bill is going to be big,” said Lou Burch, program director for the Citizens Campaign for the Environment.

Leah Schmaltz, program director for the Connecticut Fund for the Environment and Save the Sound, predicted a busy legislative session for activists.

“We support the work around toxics and the bottle bill,” Schmaltz said. “And when people try to roll back core requirements, we have to protect those.”

Bottles and PFAS

Some of the planned legislation — doubling the bottle deposit and banning styrofoam — has been introduced before but failed to pass both the House and Senate.

Backers say they remain determined to move the controversial issues through the Legislature.

“The coalition of groups has grown pretty significantly,” Burch said. “As we work to recycle more, the bottle bill is an obvious measure.”

The proposed bill would double the current nickel deposit to 10 cents, which is returned when the customer brings the battle back for recycling.

The deposit would also be expanded to “brown bottles” that contain liquor, along with nips, wine bottles, aluminum containers and sports drinks.

One problem is the recycling industry is struggling and much of Connecticut’s glass bottles now end up as cover for landfills, the result of low prices and a lack of markets. Supporters say increasing the volume of containers recycled will help grow the industry and expand markets.

Activists also want to regulate PFAS chemicals and bypass Trump administration resistance. Ideas include setting a two parts per trillion maximum containment level for drinking water.

The proposed bill is in line with recommendations from a task force formed last year by Gov. Ned Lamont after foam leaked from Bradley Airport and contaminated portions of the Farmington River.

The cancer-causing chemicals have also been found in drinking water across the state, including in Nowalk.