Report Claims Californians Lose Half of Every Nickel Bottle Deposit

For every nickel bottle or can deposit that California consumers pay in the grocery store checkout line, they only get back 2.65 cents, or 53 percent, of their deposit.

SEATTLE (Waste 360): Nonprofit group Consumer Watchdog just released a new investigative report on state’s beverage container recycling system, claiming that for every nickel bottle or can deposit that California consumers pay in the grocery store checkout line, they only get back 2.65 cents, or 53 percent, of their deposit.

The investigation of California’s bottle deposit law pins the problem on lack of access to recycling centers, grocery stores that refuse to take empties, as well as state payments and policies that benefit politically connected trash haulers, beverage distributors and grocery stores rather than the public.

“California’s bottle deposit law is broken, and both consumers and the environment are paying a big price,” said Jamie Court, president of Consumer Watchdog, in a statement. “Governor Newsom needs to make a priority of putting the pieces of California’s broken bottle deposit law back together to stop this half-billion dollar per year consumer rip-off and to combat climate change, which is one of his top priorities.”

Consumer Watchdog recommends that Newsom set a new 90 percent redemption target, require mandatory returns at all large grocery stores and align payments and incentives to the new 90 percent goal. It also urges the state to consider raising the deposit amount, which has helped achieve a 90 percent rate in Michigan and Oregon.

The report also points fingers at CalRecycle, the state agency charged with overseeing the recycling laws, claiming:

  •          Forty percent of state-certified recycling centers have closed in the last five years, with hundreds more closings on the way. That leaves more bottles and cans unredeemed by consumers while increasing revenue for waste and curbside haulers.
  •          Recycling center closures also hurt communities via job losses and critical income for families and individuals who gather discarded cans and bottles to earn extra cash.
  •          Grocery and big box chains are not taking back bottles and cans despite a legal obligation to do so.
  •          Accounting scams by big retailers and beverage distributors such as Walmart are prevalent. They are supposed to keep count and pass on the paid deposit for every bottle they sell. But they consistently underreport how much they owe consumers and keep the difference.
  •          CalRecycle has not publicly imposed a fine against distributors that scam the system or retailers that deny access, according to a review of publicly posted press releases for the last five years.
  •          Politically connected waste and curbside haulers cash in on the bottle and can deposits that are supposed to go to consumers. They are paid a state premium on top, even though the haulers’ lax processing leaves their recycling materials increasingly contaminated and landfilled.
  •          CalRecycle has accumulated a vast reserve of roughly $300 million as of 2018 while failing to pay recycling centers enough to survive. This money should be used to preserve and grow recycling centers that produce clean, recyclable materials and to enforce the bottle law via audits and fines for companies caught holding back consumer deposits.

Courtesy: https://waste360.com