S-N Editorial

Iowa's 'bottle bill' saved from the trash bin

 

May 5, 2022

Though headlines out of Des Moines often scream about the partisan divide and Culture War battles, Iowa legislators were able to pass a bill last month that revamps a law many viewed as a lumbering dinosaur.

The Iowa House on April 14 approved a bill 70-16 that allows retailers to opt out of redeeming empty beverage containers under certain conditions. The bill still needs Senate approval, but many officials and business owners are hopeful the new "bottle bill" will become law.

The current bottle bill law, enacted by Gov. Bob Ray in 1978, requires stores that sell alcoholic or carbonated beverages and collect the 5-cent deposit to accept the empty containers and redeem the deposit. However, some retailers have refused, arguing the containers are too dirty to bring into their stores, among other reasons.

As per the Iowa Capital Dispatch, Senate File 2378 would allow retailers to opt out of accepting empty empties if any of the following apply:

• They have a food establishment license, employ a certified food production manager and use time and temperature controls for food safety. Stores that prepare food on the premises would meet most of these criteria. This would take effect starting in January 2023.

• They have entered into an agreement to have a mobile redemption center on their premises, including providing adequate space, utilities and an internet connection to operate the redemption center. Mobile redemption centers are automated units, typically contained in trailers. Consumers open an account and are credited for the deposits, typically within 10 days of returning their containers. This would take effect July 1, 2022.

• They are located in counties with 30,000 or more residents and are located within 10 miles of a redemption center or mobile redemption site. This distance is currently in the Department of Natural Resources' rules.

• They are located in counties with less than 30,000 residents and are located within 15 miles of a redemption center or mobile redemption site.

The bill requires retailers that opt out to conspicuously post that they do not redeem containers and direct consumers to the nearest redemption center or mobile center. It also requires the DNR to create an electronic method for locating redemption centers.

The bill passed by the House last week provides slightly narrower opportunities for retailers to refuse empty containers than the Senate bill approved two weeks ago. If signed into law, all retailers would be allowed to opt out of accepting empty containers starting in 2023.

Objectively, the old way was antiquated and a bit odd. Nobody would like to be forced to accept other peoples' refuse, and the burden placed on the state's grocery stores is unfair. They have to dedicate space, people and other resources to process cans and bottles, which would be a pain.

Upping the per-can tally for redemption centers and allowing grocery stores to opt out was a no-brainer. As intended, this will likely lead to more redemption centers opening up across the state, in turn negating the need for local retailers to shoulder the load. This was a long time coming – the Legislature debated a variety of changes to this relic for many years, and quite frankly, it took way too long to update.

Moving forward, the bottle bill should remain on the agenda down in the Des Moines. Increasing the per-can redemption amount from a nickel to a dime should be next. Everyone complains about inflation, so why should the redemption amount be unaffected by its rise? Other states give 10 cents back on return and Iowa should do the same.

Additionally, the Legislature should widen the umbrella of beverages covered by the bottle bill. As it stands, "cans and bottles covered by a deposit and that can be returned for a refund include products that are carbonated, alcoholic or mineral water (including non-carbonated), and are sold in glass, plastic or metal bottles or cans." Why not get rid of the classifications altogether and change it to include any beverage sold in glass, plastic or metal bottles or cans? Seems simple enough, and with consumer tastes changing all the time, certain products wouldn't be left out of the bottle bill's reach.

In any case, the changes to Iowa's bottle bill passed last week are a step in the right direction and should be signed into law by Gov. Kim Reynolds. Let's just hope it's not 44 years before the latest version is revised to fit modern times.

 
 

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