www.wwlp.com/dpp/news/wwlp_bottle_bill_expansion_200901281346
Proposed expansion of state bottle bill
More types of bottles subject to 5-cent deposit
Published : Thursday, 29 Jan 2009, 7:52 PM EST
by: Veronica Cintron
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) - Governor Deval Patrick is looking to expand the state's bottle bill as part of his budget recommendations for fiscal year 2010.
Skip West visits Cabot Liquors in Chicopee at least twice a week to return dozens of empty cans. For each container, he gets a 5 cent refund.
Cabot Liquors owner Donald LaValley told 22News, as many as 80 people return cans and bottles here every day.
A new state initiative is aimed at encouraging more Bay State residents to do the same.
Governor Deval Patrick is looking to expand the state's bottle bill as part of his budget recommendations for fiscal year 2010.
The goal is to help keep Bay State cities and towns clean while increasing revenue for environmental programs.
Governor Patrick is expanding the current bottle bill to also include containers of water, flavored water, juices, sports drinks and coffee based drinks of less than a gallon in size.
That means, they will be subject to a 5-cent refundable deposit. Currently, the law only applies to carbonated soft drinks, mineral water, beer and other malt beverages.
With the revenue generated from this initiative, the state plans to increase funding for recycling and solid waste management programs by 46-percent and will also provide additional funding to clean water programs