Sustainable Wellesley, the League of Women Voters of Wellesley and Wellesley High students are among those who secured nearly 1,500 signatures in an effort to get an expanded bottle bill on the state ballot a year from now.
An expanded law would include 5-cent deposits on single-serve bottles of non-carbonated beverages, such as sports drinks and water.
Supporters say only 20% of bottles not covered by the current deposit system wind up getting recycled.Opponents say an updated bottle bill would cost consumers and business, and not greatly boost recycling rates.
As this article notes, an expanded bottled bill will burden area businesses and the jobs they provide. In addition, such legislation will take a toll on the wallets of hard-working citizens, many of whom are struggling to afford basic living expenses or manage on a fixed income. This regressive tax is also not an effective way to increase recycling. Curbside programs, for example, have proven more convenient, cost-effective and productive.