PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPFI) – House Speaker Joseph Shekarchi and Senate President Valarie Lawson have endorsed a proposition aimed at establishing a statewide needs assessment council. This council would focus on formulating a comprehensive bottle redemption and recycling program.
The bill aims to modify the draft previously put forward by Rep. Carol Hagan McEntee, with the objective of encouraging recycling efforts across the entire state.
Hagan McEntee’s legislation —
described as a so-called “bottle bill”
— would introduce a 10-cent deposit for every purchased bottled or canned drink. This deposit would be returned to the purchaser when they bring back the empty container for recycling.
Her suggestion, derived from the recommendations put forth by the Plastic Bottle Waste Commission, would additionally enforce an extended producer responsibility policy aimed at boosting the recycling of packaging materials and printed paper.
This policy aims to transfer the financial burden of recycling from municipalities to manufacturers. It incentivizes these companies to develop more sustainable packaging options that are simpler to recycle.
The revised bill would enable the R.I. Department of Environmental Management (DEM) to bring aboard an independent third-party consultant who has pertinent skills to carry out an evaluation, incorporating insights from nearby crucial participants.
The council, made up of the DEM, the Department of Administration and the Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation, would then be tasked with reviewing that report, as well as providing guidance and suggested recommendations to the R.I. General Assembly no later than December 2026.
“We thank all the members of the joint House and Senate commission for their dedicated service in studying this issue for many months,” Shekarchi and Lawson said in a statement. “There is still a great deal of conflicting data as to the implementation of best practices to address the problems of improving and disposing of our recyclable products, as well as enhancing our anti-littering efforts.”
“We believe it would be in the best interests of Rhode Islanders to conduct a needs assessment, as other states that have adopted programs have done,” the lawmakers continued, adding that they have “full faith” that the council will determine “the best approaches and costs to address this important environmental issue.”
The
“Stop the Rhode Island Bottle Tax” coalition
The coalition comprising independent retailers, alcohol shops, trade unions, and drink wholesalers voiced their concerns about the revised bill.
Rhode Islanders should have access to a cutting-edge recycling system similar to ones implemented recently in other states, which can boost recycling rates without increasing expenses for numerous common drinks,” stated the coalition in their announcement. “However, this revised bill still allows for potential taxation on these beverages, something that Rhode Island’s hardworking families and local small enterprises oppose as they believe it would elevate costs detrimental to household finances and reduce both sales and employment opportunities.
Save the Bay advocacy coordinator Jed Thorp told 12 News he feels as though the amended proposal put forth by Shekarchi and Lawson is “a little bit of a delay tactic.”
“I’m not wild about it, but it’s probably better than nothing,” he said.
“That commission met for 18 months and this is what they came up with,” Thorp said, referring to the Plastic Bottle Waste Commission. “I think we had a good bill already. I’m not sure how much more we’re going to learn from this.”
The amended legislation put forth by Shekarchi will be considered by the R.I. House Environment and Natural Resources Committee on Wednesday. The R.I. Senate Environment and Agriculture Committee is expected to take a closer look at Lawson’s companion legislation that same day.
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