Hunter
11/09/2S
The Iowa chapter of the Sierra Club is calling for a legislative review of the state’s Bottle Law, saying its residents are having difficulty redeeming their empties.
Iowa Capital Dispatch reports before the law was passed, all retail outlets that sold beverages with the 5-cent refund were required to take them, but the new law allows retailers to “opt-out” of the collection.
Retailers lobbied hard for the change, citing labor and cleanliness issues.
A 2024 Sierra Club survey found 62 percent of respondents reported a redemption center or collection site had closed in their area, and 21 percent of respondents said they travel in excess of 10 miles to redeem their cans and bottles.
Overall, 60 percent of Iowans surveyed said they find it harder to redeem cans and bottles since the change. However, the majority of those surveyed said they still want the recycling program to continue.
Currently, about half of the redeemable beverages sold are turned back in. The survey also called for an increase in refunds from 5 to 10 cents and to include juice, water bottles, iced tea and sports drinks in the program.