Bottle Bill Press Conference -- Please attend

> There will be a press conference for this Friday at 10:00 AM at the
> Statehouse -- Room 19 (lower level).  If either the Bartz or Brunkhorst
bills come out of committee we need to attack them in the press as not being
real expansion bills (they kill convenience, etc.) and press for a real
debate
on the floor to get a true expansion out.  Please be there in mass!

The next few days are critical if the Bottle Bill is to be protected and
expanded.

We urge you to support House File 69, House File 172, and Senate File 97.

Oppose Senate File 194 (introduced by Senator Bartz) and House Study Bill
142 (introduced by Representative Brunkhorst)  This bill was to be voted on
in committee today.

As you know, for over twenty years Iowa's roadways, streams, lakes and
trails  have been cleaner because of the Bottle Bill and the habits of
stewardship it  has helped to instill in all of us who live here.  It has
created jobs, especially at sheltered workshops which employ people with
disabilities, and thousands of Iowa school children have used it as a
fundraising tool within our communities.  As Iowans, we recycle 90 percent
of our containers without the use of taxes.  States without bottle bills
only recycle 30 percent.  86%
of Iowans support the Bottle Bill.

House File 69 (Grundberg), House File 172 (Shoultz), and Senate File 97
(Boettger) will protect and expand the Bottle Bill.  This legislation will
increase the handling fee per container from 1 to 2 cents.  The handling fee
paid to grocery stores and redemption centers has not changed in 22 years.
This increase will support the essential role they play in the Bottle Bill's
success. Many redemption centers will close in the next 18 months if the
handling fee is not increased.  These proposals also expands the Container
Redemption Law to include bottles and cans used for tea, water, fruit and
vegetable juices and drinks, sports drinks, and other noncarbonated
beverages excluding milk.  In 1978, many of these estimated 250 million
beverage
containers did not exist, but are now a source of litter.  These beverages
represent the fastest growing segment of the overall beverage market.
Expansion will eliminate confusion and further reduce litter.  Most
importantly, however, 77 percent of Iowans support such an expansion.

We suggest you oppose House Study Bill 142 (Brunkhorst) and Senate File
194 (Bartz).  Both Governors Ray and Branstad have criticized these
proposals
for creating a new bottle bill system based on a new bureaucracy, increased
taxes, reduced private sector involvement, increased consumer costs, and
reduced convenience.  Such bills would gut the effectiveness of the Bottle
Bill.

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