You may be interested to know that on April 22, 2002 Sen. Jeffords (I-VT) introduced S. 2220, the National Beverage Producer Responsibility Act of 2002. This legislation would amend the Solid Waste Disposal Act to require beverage brand owners to implement programs to reuse and recycle used beverage containers. More specifically, S. 2220 would prohibit the sale of a beverage container unless a company prominently places a clear refund value on the container. S. 2220 would also require beverage brand owners to submit a recycling management plan to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and would direct such companies to charge a deposit and to pay a refund to consumers upon the return of a container. Finally, the bill establishes recovery rate performance standards and penalties for failure to achieve the set rate.

Won't you contact your Senators and ask them to support this legislation?

Matthias