Maryland PIRG Delivers Thousands of Signatures to O’Malley Asking for Maryland Bottle Bill

Maryland PIRG

ANNAPOLIS—Today Maryland PIRG staff and volunteers delivered more than 7,500 petition signatures to Governor O’Malley in support of a Maryland bottle bill. The bottle bill would add a 5 cent redeemable deposit on recyclable bottles and cans.

“The bottle bill is proven effective to reduce litter, increase recycling, and save cities and towns in litter and trash pick-up costs,” said Joanna Guy, Program Associate with Maryland PIRG. “We thank Governor O’Malley for including container recycling in his climate plan, and we want him to know that Marylanders will have his back when he stands up to the big beverage industry that is fighting this commonsense bill.”

Governor O’Malley included container recycling in his Climate Change plan released this summer. The plan would get Maryland to an achievable goal of 80% container recycling by 2020 by implementing a container deposit program, like the bottle bill. 

Senator Brian Frosh, the sponsor of the 2014 bottle bill, said, “The Bottle Bill is likely to triple Maryland’s recycling rate for plastic, aluminum, and glass containers.  It is a tried and true system that has been extremely effective in other states, and will keep millions of bottles and cans from littering our communities and waterways.”

In addition to increasing recycling, the bottle bill is an effective litter reduction measure. A 2011 impact analysis by the University of Maryland’s Environmental Finance Center asserts that “beverage container deposit programs have proven to be the most effective tool for reducing litter.”

“We have had more than 15,000 conversations with Marylanders about this commonsense law and the consensus is clear: thousands of citizens are asking for a bottle bill because they want to clean up their neighborhoods, waterways, and parks,” said Guy. “It’s time to bring the bottle bill to Maryland.”