Return Centers Aren't Waiting Around for Bottle Bill

July 22, 2009

SYRACUSE, N.Y.-- When the Bigger Better Bottle Bill was passed in April, it mandated that plastic water bottles have a 5¢ deposit on them just like glass bottles and aluminum cans. That meant more profit for return centers. So why have none of these centers not seen any profits from the water bottles? A district court ruled in May that the law was unenforceable until April 2010.

"It hasn't affected anything," says Paul Roloff, owner of the Teall Avenue Bottle & Can Return. "As far as my end, nothing has been changed."

He said collection centers would not lose any business because of the delay but that they can expect more volume come next April.