To the Editor,
I support Bottle Bill legislation for Rhode Island. As a member of Zero Waste Providence, I have spent years talking about trash and advocating for the reduction of plastic both in Providence and beyond. My dedication is driven by a desire to protect the health of our residents and our environment. To have a meaningful impact, we must pass legislation that includes a comprehensive deposit/return system for plastic and glass bottles, also known as a “bottle bill.” This year, Senate Bill 996 and House Bill 6207 include this critical language.
Starting this summer, Zero Waste Providence will be collaborating with the Providence Department of Sustainability to improve recycling rates in our city. With limited funding, our
Zero Waste crews will tag contaminated loads and educate residents about how to
successfully recycle. Right now, contaminated loads are costing the city millions of dollars in fines and fees. Instead of getting recycled, the loads are added to the endless stream of trash already filling up the finite space in our landfill. Improving the poor recycling rate is a daunting task.
Evidence clearly shows that implementing a bottle bill is key to saving money, fixing our litter problem, and improving recycling rates. A recent Providence Journal article noted that nine out of the ten states across the country with the highest recycling rates have bottle bills. Successful state recycling rates range between 39-65%. We can and must improve Rhode Island’s pitiful 17%.
Better recycling rates mean less virgin plastic produced, so it is no coincidence that
a bottle bill has not been passed in the United States in over twenty years. Profit
driven, oil industry lobbyists work hard to stop this impactful legislation. We all need to lobby our Senators and Representatives to pass S996 and HB6207.
How?
(1) Sign Clean Water Action’s e-Letter that will automatically go to your elected officials in the General Assembly who have the opportunity to vote on the legislation. Very quick. Very easy: https://cleanwater.org/actions/rhode-island-needs-bottle-bill
2) Tell your family, friends, neighbors, listservs, congregations, and social media. We have collective power, and this bill won’t pass without us all speaking up to our decision-makers.
Jenny Wieting
College Hill
