We’re doing pretty good, but we could be doing a lot better. The state’s beverage container deposit redemption rate hit 76 percent for the fiscal year ending June 30. That’s down 3 percent from last year’s record high of 79
We’re doing pretty good, but we could be doing a lot better.
The state’s beverage container deposit redemption rate hit 76 percent for the fiscal year ending June 30. That’s down 3 percent from last year’s record high of 79 percent.
The container fee for the HI-5 recycling program won’t be increased next year because of the rate of return. But maybe it should. Significantly.
Consumers currently pay 6 cents per container — 5 cents for a refundable deposit and 1 cent for administrative costs.
We agree that the 685 million containers recycled during fiscal year 2010 helped to significantly reduce litter and conserve resources, as Jennifer Tosaki of the state Department of Health’s Office of Solid Waste Management told the Associated Press this week.
But at only 76 percent, that’s just a C if we gave our performance a letter grade. Hopefully, the couple hundred thousand containers sold that were not redeemed still ended up in recycling containers but the reality is literally tons went straight into the trash. We can do better. A little incentive will help.
Here’s how: Raise the deposit to 23 cents and the container fee to 2 cents. At a quarter apiece, people would think twice before pitching an empty can out the window onto the highway or simply tossing an empty bottle in the trash instead of recycling it.
The state currently collects 6 cents per container (deposit plus container fee) and pays 7 to 9 cents per container (redemption plus handling fee). With the way the program is now set up, the closer we get to a 100 percent redemption rate the less the program is able to sustain itself.
We need a recycling program that doesn’t rely on some people not redeeming their bottles and cans. The time to act is now because we have some $20 million in the DBC special fund available to see us through the transition.
Sure, there might be a little sticker shock when you go to buy a 12-pack of green bottles and they ring it up with an extra three bucks tacked on. But you’ll probably be much more likely to redeem them than you are only paying an extra 72 cents as the program currently charges.
We don’t need to remind residents and visitors that our landfill is nearing capacity and building a new one is extremely costly (not to mention divisive in the community). And that’s just here. Honolulu is trying to ship its tons of trash to the Mainland.
Diverting as much of the current waste stream away from the landfill is critical for multiple reasons. A sustainable redemption program would likely save taxpayers millions of dollars in solid waste costs over the long run.
So instead of touting the 76 percent return rate as a wonderful accomplishment, why don’t we improve the program to bring that figure closer to 100 percent.
Last we checked in the grade book a C is only satisfactory. Let’s go for an A on this important assignment.
We need a recycling program that doesn’t rely on some people notredeeming their bottles and cans.
