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House passes recycling deposit bill
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Posted on Nov 28 2004
Saying it would significantly help reduce solid waste and littering in the CNMI.
The House of Representatives passed last week a bill mandating a deposit fee of not less than 5 cents and a payout for each beverage sold.
Lawmakers passed House Bill 14-211 or the proposed Recycling Deposit Fee and Payout Program Act of 2004, authored by Rep. Janet Maratita.
The House Ways and Means Committee said in a report that 50 percent of litter is comprised of used beverage containers.
“Providing a payout incentive such as a recycling deposit fee and a payout program will deter and reduce littering,” said the committee, chaired by Rep. Norman S. Palacios.
Under the bill, a deposit fee of not less than 5 cents shall be levied and paid by the consumer on each beverage container purchased in the CNMI.
Upon return, at least 75 percent of the amount of the refund value shall be paid back to the consumer.
The refund is claimed from redemption centers, which can be set up by any individual upon approval of the Division of Environmental Quality.
The bill provides that dealers shall remit all deposits collected each month to the CNMI Treasury under the “recycling deposit fund.” The funds collected would be used as reimbursement for refunded amounts and for expenses related to redemption centers’ activities.
Reverse vending machines may be used by redemption centers provided that the machine shall accept one or more types of empty deposit beverage containers and shall pay out appropriate refunds as coins or via a redeemable credit slip.
