Nov 9, 2009 3:08 am US/Eastern
NY Joins Water Bottle 'Deposit' Redemption Program
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
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Consumers pay an extra five cents when they buy the bottle, and when they've used it up, they have the opportunity to return it to the nearest redemption center to get their money back.
AP
New York stamped an extra $0.05 onto the price of every bottle of water, and that's supposed to add up to a lot of "green."
The so-called bigger, better bottle law, with its five-cent "deposit," was designed to cut back on littler and on the thousands of tons of plastic bottles that end up in state landfills every year.
It's also a revenue generator for the state, which will keep 80 percent of the money from unclaimed deposits.
"It's annoying, but I guess it comes with the territory," New Yorker Josh Millman said.
But while the extra cost rankles some consumers, others see the greater good.
"I think New Yorkers are wasteful, so I think it's a good thing," resident Sage Jacobs said. "I don't think we need to be drinking as much bottled products in general as we do."
"Anything that goes to green initiatives is fine with me – I support that," said New Yorker Michael Brown.
The water bottle redemption is supposed to work like the existing plan for cans and bottles. Consumers pay an extra five cents when they buy the bottle, and when they've used it up, they have the opportunity to return it to the nearest redemption center to get their money back.
It does not apply to sugar-water drinks like Gatorade or Vitamin Water.
While the newly labeled bottles, with the "NY" now added to the list of states requiring a deposit, were in store shelves Sunday. None of the store clerks who spoke to CBS 2 knew anything about the change.
"I have no idea, I can't say at all," one clerk said.
The law was opposed by bottled water companies. Whether higher costs get passed on to consumers remains to be seen.
Ten other states already require a deposit on bottled water, and more states are considering it.
CBS 2's John Metaxas contributed to this report.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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