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To The Editor:
As the owner of a brand new business in Michigan targeted at reducing the amount of landfill waste that the disposable bottles create and natural resources that they consume, I’m heartily in favor of our bottle bill being extended to “disposable” water and sports drink bottles. However, I appreciate the burden that retailers face and wonder if there isn’t a simple, creative option for assisting them.
According to your article, Michigan lags behind the other Great Lakes States in recycling with a rate of only 15%, however, we have a 97% returnable redemption rate. The Michigan Recycling Coalition states that approximately 30% of Michigan’s population is served by curbside recycling. Logic tells us that even if curbside recycling is tripled, we’re still not going to be recycling nonreturnable beverage containers at a rate anywhere near those covered by our current bottle law.
According to the Michigan Department of Treasury’s Office of Revenue and Tax Analysis, in 2007, the estimated total deposits collected were y $409.5 million. $8.9 million worth of these deposits were unredeemed. Of that amount, 25% went to larger retailers that sell returnables, and 75% went to The Cleanup and Redevelopment Trust Fund. As a state, if we were to amend the bottle law to cover all beverage containers, not only would our total deposits increase, but our unredeemed deposits would increase, as well. Why not give all of our retailers that are on the “front line” collecting returnables a larger piece of these unredeemed deposits to cover their burden?
I’m proud that our state took progressive action in 1976 to become the national leader in beverage container recycling. Nationally, water bottle sales increased from about 12 billion in 1996 to almost 60 billion in 2006. With the dramatic increase in bottled water and sports drink consumption, it’s time to step up our commitment, but not at the expense of our already suffering retail establishments.
Of course, let’s not forget to reduce and reuse…
Julia Girdler
President
www.H2Ox2.com
For the past 19 years, the New Center Area of Detroit has hosted a festival called Tastefest over Independence Day Weekend. Attracting over 500,000 people, it’s grown into a major event for restaurants and residents of the metro-Detroit area. This year, they’re making some changes. It’s going to be called CityFest - and they’re “going green” by banning participating restaurants from using Styrofoam containers and cups. In addition, they’re “encouraging” participants to use more green plant-base containers or paper instead of plastic cups and containers and they’re asking restaurants to separate their cardboard and glass for recycling.
The best part has been the reaction of the participating restaurants. Cityfest Director Julie Kouloumberis is quoted in the Detroit Free Press as saying that “vendors didn’t argue with the foam container ban.” “Making Cityfest greener is simply the right thing to do. These big festivals are such huge productions, it’s important that we leave the smallest possible environmental footprint.”
So, if you’re planning on being anywhere near the D this weekend, pack your H2Ox2.com reusable water bottle and refill + revive at any of the more than 30 purveyors’ booths!
