Right now, a Committee of Massachusetts legislators are meeting to finalize the Climate Omnibus Bill. The Committee will determine whether the bill includes an amendment to modernize the Commonwealth’s Bottle Bill program.

Massachusetts’ current Bottle Bill requires residents to pay a five-cent deposit on every bottle or can of beer or soda they purchase. They get that money back when they return the empty container for recycling. For years, advocates have pushed the state legislature to increase this deposit, as five cents no longer provides a sufficient incentive.

If included in the Climate Bill, the updated bottle return program would not only raise the deposit fee to ten cents per beverage, but also expand the Commonwealth’s bottle return program to include new types of beverages that were not around in the early 1980s when the Bottle Bill first passed.

A recent statewide poll from Just Zero revealed that 82% of registered voters support modernizing the Bottle Bill. The poll also found that 95% believe reducing waste and litter is important for their quality of life in the state. And 88% agree that common types of recyclable beverage containers, including nips and water bottles, should have a refundable deposit.

The poll’s findings confirm that residents want their elected officials to take action on litter and pollution. By modernizing the state’s bottle return program through the Climate Omnibus Bill, we can reduce litter and increase recycling across the state. It’s time for legislators to listen to their constituents and update the most impactful recycling program we have – at no cost to taxpayers.

Contact your legislators now and ask them to press for an update to the state’s bottle return program in the finalized Climate Omnibus Bill.