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Wilderness & Resources

Nickel deposits on bottled water in NY to take effect Oct. 31

New law expected to bring much-needed revenue to the state and increase recycling.

By Michael d'EstriesTue, Oct 27 2009 at 4:03 PM EST
 6

Flickr: klearchos
In a win for the environment, New York will expand its deposit laws to include water bottles starting Oct. 31. A five-cent surcharge will be added to the cost of each water bottle sold, which customers can then return to stores for a refund. About 80 percent of unclaimed deposits will go to the state as much-needed revenue, resulting in some $115 million annually.
 
The law was originally intended to go into effect in June, but a coalition of bottled water companies filed suit in May, claiming that the expanded law was unconstitutional. That move put things on hold until April 2010 -- until a federal judge in August ruled that key components of the bill could still take place prior to next year. Last Friday, the injunction was lifted and the bill deemed ready to roll.
 
Obviously, money for state coffers isn't the only green this move will spur. Nationally, Americans buy an estimated 28 billion plastic water bottles annually. An estimated eight out of every 10 bottles will end up in a landfill. By giving people a monetary incentive to recycle, less waste will enter the landfill. Adding $2 to the cost of every pack of water bottles will also deter spending cash on something that's considered unnecessary for most people with access to municipal water.
 
As a former bottle hunter, I can attest that expanding the law to include water bottles will also bring in some much-needed revenue to individuals. I know of many people who take time out of their day to scour garbage bins for refundable bottles. This extra income, while small, does help.
 
New York joins Connecticut, Oregon, California, Maine and Hawaii in returns that include bottled water. 
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Related Topics: Bottled Water, Recycling

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anonymous
The only logical person here 02/03/2010 20:58 PM

Great, the environment will improve. Of course, the added fuel waste used in returning the bottles to a store and the added fuel waste and money used in collecting the bottles from stores will more than offset the gains.
Nice

anonymous
French girl 01/13/2010 17:10 PM

If you dont like that new law, just save one bottle, and reuse it. Simply buy water by the gallon For myself, I'm looking for to see less bottles dumped by unresponsible people on roads, sports field,or any other place...

anonymous
gpipi 11/30/2009 18:16 PM

Will have to take the bottles back to the store instead of the curb. Extra trip to the store and will not buy water as much as i used to.

anonymous
Peter 11/02/2009 18:07 PM

NY State is the ususal double-talk. The surcharge is all about gaining more money. Period. Just like the proposed 'fat-tax' on sugar soda drinks. (You can drink the aspertame type and just get brain cancers, etc - but you'll stay thin.) As city water tastes like a swimming pool and I buy bottled water, it's time to move out of NY.

anonymous
Canada Guy 10/29/2009 11:16 AM

We all know water bottles are wasteful and bad for the environment, yet their production is growing rapidly everywhere. Just 20 years ago the market for plastic water bottles was practically nonexistent, but today we produce billions of these completely unnecessary products. There can be only one sane response, plastic water bottles must be banned!

.... More

anonymous
asjaiia 10/29/2009 08:40 AM

no no no is bad

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