I've drafted a letter to the editor. I'd appreciate comments concerning its
accuracy in representing the law as well as its tone. The recommendations I
think reflect last year's proposed expansion of the bottle bill. I think I
saw in the paper someone arguing for a 1.5 cent redemption fee instead of
the 2 cents.

Eric G. Hurley

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Iowa's Beverage Container Deposit Law or "Bottle Bill" was implemented in
1978. That summer a friend and I explored the roads of northeast Iowa on
bicycle picking up cans from the ditches, parks, and wild areas secure in
the knowledge that this sort of obnoxious, unsightly litter would not
likely return. We were right. Iowa is far cleaner and far more beautiful
because of the bottle bill. Iowans are justifiably proud of this law.

Now grocery stores including Fareway, Hy-Vee, and Cub Foods here in Ames
are attempting to gut this highly successful law and are mis-representing
the law to do it. You have probably already seen the displays and petitions
in the stores. The petitions state that the "Iowa container deposit law
endangers our food supply by directing consumers to take unsanitary
beverage containers to supermarkets."

Since the inception of this law, grocery stores have provided a valued
service to their customers by redeeming on-site the beverage containers
they sell. Returning them to the stores is convenient and, thus, makes the
system far more effective. However, it is not a requirement of the law.
Stores could designate a convenient redemption center for the containers
they sell. They have voluntarily chosen to redeem on-site presumably in
order to retain customer loyalty. If on-site redemption is indeed a health
risk, as they argue in their petition, then it is a risk they have
willingly chosen for 23 years.

Iowa's beverage container deposit law is successful, but needs to be
updated. It should be expanded to include bottles and cans used for tea,
water, fruit juices, and sports drinks. To assist the local redemption
services, whether it be grocery stores or independent centers, the handling
fee should be increased from 1 cent to 2 cents per container. These
additional funds could be used by the grocers to improve their redemption
facilities. To support the reuse of container materials, all beverage
containers sold in Iowa should be required to have a minimum post-consumer
recycled content of 25% by weight. And finally, to deal with trash issues
not solved by this policy, the Robert D. Ray Beautiful Land Fund should be
created using unredeemed deposits to support local litter and recycling
efforts.

Work to keep Iowa beautiful. Do not support the grocery store petition and
contact your legislator to retain and expand Iowa's Beverage Container
Deposit Law.

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