Letter: Update, expand the bottle bill

Since 1979 ten states have been using the bottle bill, which allows consumers to get reimbursed when they bring containers back to the supplier and recycle.

I believe we need to update this bill, and give more back to consumers. Right now according to Iowa DNR, ”an estimated 86 percent of beverage containers, or 1.65 billion, are redeemed annually in Iowa.” This keeps so many plastic bottles/cans out of our landfills and conserves natural resources. In order for Iowans to receive more, I think we should increase the deposit of $0.05, to $0.10 or maybe $0.15.

This bill has brought good recycling habits and created a cleaner world. Recycling has boosted 34 percent, according to DNR reports. The bottle bill also has opened up numerous opportunities for fundraising.

Another thing the bottle bill has brought the U.S. is more jobs. The bill created tens of thousands of jobs in retail, distribution, and recycling.

Taking this bill away will allow people to go back to bad habits of not recycling, or just tossing it aside, only for that bottle to end up hurting our ecosystem.

Maggie Gorman

Springville