As Maine recycles, so recycles the nation. So wrote Maine Congressman Tom Allen in his 1997 appeal for a national bottle redemption law similar to Maine s. It hasn t happened. As Maine approaches the 25th anniversary of the enactment of its bottle bill, there are reasons to wonder if whether, back in 1976, we got it right. Things have changed since then.
Recycling is one of the changes.
Even intrepid reducers and reusers must wonder why they can toss a plastic milk jug in the recycling container, but because it contained juice instead of milk they must carry a container made of the same stuff back to the store to claim a nickel deposit. It s a puzzling dance. Michigan currently has a basic bottle law. The study did a cost breakdown on the program as it currently exists vs. alternatives. It might do nothing.