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January 28, 2008
Bottle bill is a needed part of trash cleanup
The bottle bill, which would impose a refundable 10-cent deposit on all
beverage containers, is back before the Legislature. Maybe this is the year our
lawmakers step up and take a real stand to help rid the Mountain State of
unsightly litter.
This legislation won’t resolve all of the illegal dumping scattered over our
scenery, but it will make a significant impact — and everything counts.
Consider this as well: The 11 states which have a bottle bill have seen a
drastic reduction in litter since implementation of the deposit program and they
recycle more than the other 39 states put together, according to a spokesperson
for the West Virginia Citizen Action Group.
The “buzz slogan” for 2008 seems to be “Go Green” with an emphasis on the
environment. Tending to the environment isn’t just about reduction of greenhouse
gases and energy and water conservation; it’s also about cleaning up and
reducing landfill intakes through recycling.
A day when recycling becomes mandatory in this state and country is coming;
putting a bounty on beverage containers in West Virginia now will be a big step
forward toward moving us in the right direction.
Some have dismissed the bottle bill as being unimportant when it comes to the
major issues confronting the state. We couldn’t disagree more. In addition to
becoming better stewards of our environment, a look at the other “green” side is
just as critical, given that tourism is a huge contributor when it comes to
supporting our economic base and litter “eyesores” are a real negative for
tourists.
If West Virginia really wants to “Go Green,” then a bottle bill must be part of
the plan.
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