A broad coalition of businesses and industry associations with deep connections to Washington State’s communities and economy are urging Governor Bob Ferguson and state lawmakers to enact a Recycling Refund program to complement the recently passed Recycling Reform Act (SB 5284).

Walk along any Rhode Island street or stretch of shoreline, and the evidence is clear: our state is covered in beverage container litter. Plastic bottles, aluminum cans and tiny alcohol “nips” litter our neighborhoods and pollute our waterways. It’s time to turn the tide.

In this episode, we head to Rhode Island (USA), where the new Senate Bill 996 and House Bill 6207 are setting out to change how the state handles packaging waste and litter.

Rhode Island has a major opportunity to modernize and reform its recycling system with two common-sense bills currently before the legislature. H6207 sponsored by Rep. Carol Hagan McEntee, a South Kingstown Democrat, and S 996, sponsored by Sen. Mark McKenney, a Warwick Democrat, would establish a modern Deposit Return System – a.k.a. “A bottle bill” – and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for packaging. EPR essentially requires producers of packaging to fund a program for collecting and recycling discarded packaging to help minimize their environmental impact.

As long-time small business owners in Providence, we’ve spent our careers balancing public policy and small business realities. We’ve also seen firsthand the increasing pressure that outdated waste systems place on our economy and environment. Over the last 40 years we have made tremendous strides in cleaning up Narragansett Bay and we cannot afford to backslide.

Every week, Rhode Islanders dutifully roll their recycling bins out to the curb, believing they are doing their part to help the environment by recycling paper, aluminum cans, and glass and plastic bottles. But the truth is: our recycling system is failing us. Rhode Island’s statewide recycling rate is a shockingly low 26%. How can this be, when so many of us are trying to do the right thing?

Now that the “bottle bill” (H6207 and S996) has been heard in both the House and Senate, and as your respective committees are considering testimony from supporters and opponents, we feel compelled to respond to and clarify some of the misinformation that is being spread by opponents of the bills.

We appreciate the opportunity to submit testimony strongly supporting H 6207, a bill that would make Rhode Island a leader globally in high performance recycling systems by implementing two proven policies—extended producer responsibility (EPR) for packaging and printed paper and a bottle bill for beverage containers.

In my 15 years at the International Bottled Water Association, I’ve seen remarkable changes across the industry, be it brands, distribution, manufacturing or materials used in packaged beverages. But the most transformative shift I’ve followed – and where IBWA has truly evolved – is in recycling.

We appreciate the opportunity to submit testimony strongly supporting S 996, a bill that would make Rhode Island a leader globally in high performance recycling systems by implementing two proven policies—extended producer responsibility (EPR) for packaging and printed paper and a bottle bill for beverage containers.

On behalf of the Coalition for High Performance Recycling (CHPR), we respectfully urge Governor Ferguson to sign the full Washington Recycling Reform Act, SB 5284, into law. This bill represents a critical step toward modernizing Washington’s recycling system and advancing a cleaner, more circular economy.

A bottle bill is not only good for the environment, it’s good for business, proponents of House bill 6207 write.

As the Ocean State seeks solutions to improve its recycling outcomes, the Coalition for High Performance Recycling (CHPR) – a diverse group of consumer brands, environmental nonprofits, material manufacturers, packaging suppliers, and trade associations – is praising new legislation aimed at reforming Rhode Island’s recycling system. The legislation, which will benefit municipalities, the economy, environment, and sustainable manufacturing, stems from a recent report from Special Joint Legislative Commission on Plastic Bottle Waste.

Thank you, Chair Doglio and members of the committee. My name is Megan Lane, and I represent the Coalition for High Performance Recycling – or CHPR, for short. We are here in support of House Bill 1607 especially when paired with the EPR bill, HB 1150.

Thank you, Chair Shewmake and members of the committee. My name is Megan Lane, and I represent the Coalition for High Performance Recycling – or CHPR, for short. We are here in support of Senate Bill 5502 especially when paired with the EPR bill, SB 5284. CHPR is a diverse coalition of consumer brands, environmental groups, material manufacturers, packaging suppliers, and trade associations, united in our mission to improve recycling systems nationwide.

The Coalition for High Performance Recycling (CHPR), a diverse coalition of companies and organizations promoting a comprehensive approach to producer-funded recycling, applauds the introduction of Senate Bill 5502 and House Bill 1607. The bipartisan bills, introduced by Senators June Robinson (D-Everett) and Sharon Shewmake (D-Bellingham) and Representatives Monica Stonier (D-Vancouver) and Kevin Waters (R-Stevenson), would create a Recycling Refund program, also known as a Deposit Return System (DRS) or “bottle bill,” for Washington State.

Thank you Chair Doglio and members of the committee; for the record, my name is Fiona Bell, and I’m here representing the Coalition for High Performance Recycling — or CHPR, for short. We are here in support of House Bill (HB) 1150, especially in combination with pending recycling refunds legislation.