February 11, 2011
Regardingthe Globe’s Feb. 4 editorial “Bottle bill: Fighting litter is reason enough,’’ we say whatever the reason for supporting or opposing the bill, it’s time for the Legislature to bring it to the floor for a vote. The bill has been pending for 14 years. Imagine 14 years of snow days. That’s what it has been like for the updated bottle bill. It is stuck inside Beacon Hill, buried, with lawmakers unwilling or unable to dig it out.
With a recent MassINC Polling Group poll showing that 77 percent of the public supports updating the bottle bill — by putting a 5 cent deposit on water bottles, sports drinks, and similar beverages that now end up as trash and litter — the time is overdue for giving this bill a chance to be debated by the House and Senate.
Although some may oppose updating the bottle bill, the reality is that it saves cities and towns money in trash cleanup, increases recycling, and reduces litter. Everyone is entitled to his or her opinion. But there is absolutely no reason for the Legislature not to vote on this.
Janet Domenitz, Executive director, MassPIRG
Jack Clarke, Director of public policy and government relations, Mass Audubon
Lack of action on this bill amounts to opposition to it. By doing nothing, our state legislators are opposing the majority of Massachusetts residents who support the Bottle Bill Update.
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