Why does Vermont have a bottle deposit law?

The Vermont Bottle Bill, officially known as the Beverage Container Redemption and Recycling Fee, was enacted in 1973 and is designed to encourage the return and recycling of beverage containers in order to reduce litter, conserve resources, and promote recycling. The law requires a 5-cent deposit on all carbonated beverage containers sold in the state, with the exception of containers holding 1 gallon or more. This deposit is refunded to consumers when they return the empty containers to authorized recycling centers. The collected containers are then sold to recycling facilities, which process them into new materials, such as aluminum, glass, and plastic.

The Vermont Bottle Bill has been successful in achieving its goals. Since its implementation, the state has seen a significant decrease in litter and an increase in recycling rates. In 2021, Vermont recycled over 85% of its redeemable beverage containers, making it one of the highest recycling states in the country. The law has also created jobs in the recycling industry, and it is estimated that the beverage container redemption program generates over $10 million annually in economic activity for the state.