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Old 11-07-2014, 03:25 AM
 
Location: Purgatory
6,367 posts, read 6,233,865 times
Reputation: 9889

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I really thought that one was a no-brainer. A nickel today is not like a nickel of 1982 when the the redemption policy initially passed.

When bottles are redeemable the trash virtually picks up itself!

I only saw one commercial and that was AGAINST it. "Most communities have curb side recycling, blah blah blah." But so what? Many don't or you have to actually go to your local dump to bring the bottles there. So guess where they go.... the trash if we're "lucky" or along the streets and ocean if not.

So was it just a combination of voters from very upscale neighborhoods and/or those too cheap to pay a nickel?

FYI- this is also why I think ALL lottery tickets should have a second chance. People would pick them up and "use them" as many pick up bottles for the deposit.

 
Old 11-07-2014, 04:04 AM
 
Location: Westwood, MA
5,037 posts, read 6,887,680 times
Reputation: 5960
Quote:
Originally Posted by Utopian Slums View Post
I really thought that one was a no-brainer. A nickel today is not like a nickel of 1982 when the the redemption policy initially passed.

When bottles are redeemable the trash virtually picks up itself!

I only saw one commercial and that was AGAINST it. "Most communities have curb side recycling, blah blah blah." But so what? Many don't or you have to actually go to your local dump to bring the bottles there. So guess where they go.... the trash if we're "lucky" or along the streets and ocean if not.

So was it just a combination of voters from very upscale neighborhoods and/or those too cheap to pay a nickel?

FYI- this is also why I think ALL lottery tickets should have a second chance. People would pick them up and "use them" as many pick up bottles for the deposit.
My town has curbside recycling. I didn't want a $0.05/bottle tax on curbside recycling, so I voted against it. If curbside recycling weren't widespread I might have voted for it. If you combine all the people who have curbside recycling and all the people that are opposed to any additional tax, you'll see why this question failed. The deposit system made sense when returning your bottles was the only option--it doesn't really make that much sense today.

I don't know why you think that only "upscale" communities have curbside recycling. Boston has single stream recycling in the entire city, not just the fancy zip codes. Chelsea, Everett, and Lynn, for instance, all seem to, as well. Do you have some comprehensive list of cities and towns that don't offer curbside recycling? I'd venture to guess that more urban places would have curbside recycling, whereas more rural and suburban places wouldn't. I do know that Dover and (at least six years ago) Winchester don't have curbside pickup, two of the more upscale neighborhoods.

And, FYI, communities where you have to go to the transfer station often charge per bag. I don't know anyone who separates their trash more thoroughly than my friends who live in a town without curbside pickup.
 
Old 11-07-2014, 05:01 AM
 
Location: near bears but at least no snakes
26,648 posts, read 28,516,169 times
Reputation: 50473
I didn't know which way to vote. I use very few bottles of anything but if I do end up buying something in a bottle I hate having to take the one bottle to the store to get five cents for it. I'll just put it in with the recycling. We don't have curbside recycling in my town so we take it all to the recycling center.

On the other hand, I don't like bottle being thrown by the side of the road or in my front yard.

BTW, I've heard that Wellesley doesn't have curbside recycling.
 
Old 11-07-2014, 05:15 AM
 
Location: Massachusetts & Hilton Head, SC
9,949 posts, read 15,538,797 times
Reputation: 8556
Wellesley doesn't have trash pick-up, it's private like several other towns.

BTW, there was nothing to limit these deposits to 5 cents, either.
 
Old 11-07-2014, 06:16 AM
 
Location: RI, MA, VT, WI, IL, CA, IN (that one sucked), KY
41,938 posts, read 36,801,517 times
Reputation: 40634
This was an anti pollution bill and a no brainer. 5 cents doesn't matter to me or most anyone, but it would get those discarded bottles off the streets / alleys / road sides.
 
Old 11-07-2014, 07:43 AM
 
Location: Ohio
2,310 posts, read 6,802,459 times
Reputation: 1949
The bill alone won't change people's behaviors. People who throw their returnable cans and bottles in the trash or on the street today are going do the same. If people are in the habit of not recycling (whether into their own home recycling bin or into a designated box when they are not home), this bill will not change that habit.

Here are a few observations:
When I go into meetings at work, I routinely observe that people will throw their aluminum cans and coke bottles into the trash, EVEN THOUGH there is a recycling box RIGHT NEXT TO the same trash bin.

When my junky neighbor has a late night party and invite their drunkie friends to hog up the entire street. What we'd find the next day is beer cans and bottles in the lawns. I doubt these thugs will bother to recycle the cans and bottles that they junk on people's lawn, bill or no bill.

So, I think the bill is just an open door to hike the 5c fee and make it more cumbersome for people who already do their part to recycle. Personally, I already recycle as many items as I can into the curbside recycling bin at home and when I'm out, I do my best to either save the bottle till I get home or put it in an available recycling box. If I have to now collect these bottles, bring them to a machine at the store, wait in line, stick each one in the machine 1 by 1... that's a lot more trouble and there isn't any more bottles getting recycled than before.
 
Old 11-07-2014, 07:48 AM
 
Location: RI, MA, VT, WI, IL, CA, IN (that one sucked), KY
41,938 posts, read 36,801,517 times
Reputation: 40634
Quote:
Originally Posted by mmyk72 View Post
The bill alone won't change people's behaviors. People who throw their returnable cans and bottles in the trash or on the street today are going do the same. If people are in the habit of not recycling (whether into their own home recycling bin or into a designated box when they are not home), this bill will not change that habit.

Here are a few observations:
When I go into meetings at work, I routinely observe that people will throw their aluminum cans and coke bottles into the trash, EVEN THOUGH there is a recycling box RIGHT NEXT TO the same trash bin.

When my junky neighbor has a late night party and invite their drunkie friends to hog up the entire street. What we'd find the next day is beer cans and bottles in the lawns. I doubt these thugs will bother to recycle the cans and bottles that they junk on people's lawn, bill or no bill.

So, I think the bill is just an open door to hike the 5c fee and make it more cumbersome for people who already do their part to recycle. Personally, I already recycle as many items as I can into the curbside recycling bin at home and when I'm out, I do my best to either save the bottle till I get home or put it in an available recycling box. If I have to now collect these bottles, bring them to a machine at the store, wait in line, stick each one in the machine 1 by 1... that's a lot more trouble and there isn't any more bottles getting recycled than before.

This is true, but those bottles, when they have value, will get picked up or picked out and recycled. When there is no deposit, they don't get picked up. The purchaser may not pick them up, but there are hoards of people that do pick them up. The end result is what is important.
 
Old 11-07-2014, 07:54 AM
 
15,737 posts, read 20,293,560 times
Reputation: 20895
I didn't want to pay a tax on a bottle that goes into my curbside recycling bin.
 
Old 11-07-2014, 07:57 AM
 
Location: Needham, MA
8,532 posts, read 13,940,154 times
Reputation: 7913
Quote:
Originally Posted by jayrandom View Post
My town has curbside recycling. I didn't want a $0.05/bottle tax on curbside recycling, so I voted against it. If curbside recycling weren't widespread I might have voted for it. If you combine all the people who have curbside recycling and all the people that are opposed to any additional tax, you'll see why this question failed. The deposit system made sense when returning your bottles was the only option--it doesn't really make that much sense today.
I was absolutely against it as well for same reason. In fact, I think they should repeal the current bottle deposit law. As you said, it's antiquated in that it was put in place when no one knew about recycling. I remember we had to go across town to a bottle redemption center to return them. Now, every supermarket and liquor store has bottle return areas. Plus, the towns that have municipal trash pick up have separate recycling bins for all the residents and towns that have transfer stations like Wellesley, Needham, etc. have recycling areas as well. I have private trash pick up and my garbologist gives me recycling bins.

If anything, our state needs to be spending money on educating people about recycling and increasing the convenience factor of recycling your bottles. If it's easy and people are aware of the consequences of not doing it, then bottles will be recycled.

I'm already donating tons of money every year to the state through the bottle deposit law (I drink way too much soda) because I recycle through curbside pick up. Plus, I pay for that service. I wasn't interested in being hit with another fee designed to supposedly encourage me to do something I already am doing.

Last edited by MikePRU; 11-07-2014 at 08:54 AM..
 
Old 11-07-2014, 08:03 AM
 
Location: Cape Cod
24,296 posts, read 17,023,261 times
Reputation: 35557
I heard that 80% of households recycle voluntarily. I think people are tired of the Gov. telling them what to do and tacking on yet another "TAX" which the bottle bill would be was just too much. I say it was a tax because if the bottle or can is not redeemed guess who gets to keep that 5 cents, the state which already gives them millions per year.
I'm glad it didn't pass since I don't want ot have to pay extra money when I buy a bottle of juice or a case of water. It is a pain to have to store the empty beer and soda cans then drive them to the redemption center which is in another town for me. I also don't have curbside pickup so I store my recyling items in 2 trash barrels and a big box then drive it to the other side of town to the transfer station.
I hate seeing trash on the side of roads so maybe the lazy slobs who litter should be targeted.
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