Washington DC Leaders Introduce Bill to Reduce Litter, Increase Recycling

SEATTLE (Waste Advantage): D.C. leaders are introducing a bill aimed at reducing litter and improving recycling rates. Referred to as the “bottle bill”, the Recycling Refund and Litter Reduction Amendment Act of 2025 was introduced by Ward 1 councilmember Brianne Nadeau. It has the support of 10 other councilmembers.

Under the proposal, consumers pay a 10-cent deposit on beverage bottles and cans at the store. Once they return their empty bottles to the store, they get their 10 cents back. “It’s going to be a great opportunity for residents. I think they’ll see pretty quickly that it’s a way to earn money. Word gets out pretty fast when something becomes valuable and redeemable,” Councilmember Nadeau said.

According to Nadeau, the bill would also set up a non-profit stewardship organization to handle the logistics of sorting the bottles and sending them to a recycling facility. Retailers get a handling fee for collecting the bottles, while small retailers and restaurants, bars, and hotels would be exempt.

Courtesy: www.wasteadvantagemag.com