Everyone who has purchased a can of soda knows about those pesky bottle deposits that we are forced to pay. Effective November 8, even more of our favorite drinks will be subject to these deposits. The reason for this is that the criteria for what type of bottled drinks require deposits were expanded in the Bigger Better Bottle Bill which was passed into law when the Legislature approved the 2009-2010 state budget.
Balancing the needs of business and consumers with our need to protect our environment is not always an easy task. However, I opposed the passage of the Bigger Better Bottle Bill for many reasons; chief among them is the added expense to consumers. The new law adds a 5-cent returnable deposit to water bottles and flavored water that contain no sugar. This equates out to an additional $1.20 for a 24-pack of bottled water. This may not sound like a lot of extra money, but it adds an extra expense to consumers already struggling under the burden of the poor economy.
In addition to its effect on consumers, this new law impacts small businesses by raising the state’s bottle handling fee on retailers from 2 cents to 3.5 cents. Not only is the handling fee going up, but the law also allows the state to seize 80 percent of the Refund Value Account each quarter. This account was set up to hold money from bottle deposits in order to offset the expense of bottle redemption. So, even though bottle deposits are going up, the state is reducing aid to small businesses in a time when aid is needed the most.
As always, if you have any questions or concerns on this or any other state issue, please don’t hesitate to contact me at either my Johnstown office at (518) 762-6486, or my Herkimer office at (315) 866-1632.