New York To Require Deposits on Bottled Water

Later this month, New York will begin requiring a 5-cent deposit on bottled water. New Yorkers already have to pay a deposit when they purchase sodas, carbonated beverages, wine coolers and beer. That deposit is refundable if they return the empty bottles and cans to a local store for recycling.

Consumer sentiments about the new law are mixed. Some resident believe the deposits will have a positive environmental impact because they will discourage people from trashing their empty water bottles. But others are bemoaning the fact that the new law will raise the price of a case of water by more than $2.

New York state, where some 2.5 billion bottles of water are sold annually, is one of only 11 states that requires deposits on bottled and canned beverages. It is one of only six states requiring deposits on bottled water. Connecticut just began requiring a 5-cent deposit on bottled water on Oct. 1.

Bottle bills usually dramatically improve recycling rates in the states where they are enacted. So, it's likely that New Yorkers will stop contributing to the steady stream of bottled water waste that winds up in landfills.

State officials are projecting an increase in recycling, according to an article on MPNnow.com:

“Water is about 25 percent of the overall beverage market,” said Laura Haight, senior environmental associate for the New York Public Interest Research Group. “With the expansion, we’re capturing about 90 percent of the beverages we believe should have deposits on them.”

Earlier state laws required deposits on soda and other carbonated beverages, wine coolers and beer, with a study showing they raised aluminum can recycling from less than 20 percent to more than 80 percent.