Legislation diverts environmental funds to corporate giveaways

‘People’s dimes, not industry profits’

As the 50th anniversary of one of the world’s most effective recycling programs nears, a state legislator’s proposal would divert its environmental funding to corporate giveaways.

Sen. Sean McCann (D-Kalamazoo) introduced legislation (found here and here) Nov. 13 to amend the “Bottle Bill,” the colloquial term for Michigan’s container deposit law approved by voters in 1976 that established Michigan’s bottle return system. The bills passed a Senate Committee Dec. 5.

That legislation would create a ballot proposal to expand the types of returnable containers and allow them to be returned at any location. But they also divert a projected $75 million a year away from environmental programs and toward businesses already profiting from the industry. And while McCann’s legislation would fund the Bottle Bill’s implementation, it would leave those funds off the ballot, making them vulnerable to legislative manipulation.

“These are the people’s dimes, not industry profits,” said Michigan Environmental Council President & CEO Conan Smith. “Those lost funds won’t improve our Bottle Bill. Recycling won’t get easier. Environmental cleanups will get harder.”

There is a better way forward, said Smith. The Environmental Council has called for modernizing the Bottle Bill so almost all beverages—from canned cocktails to water bottles—can be returned anywhere without needless corporate benefits or a loss of environmental funding. Those dimes and dollars would instead support improvements for consumers—like more bottle return machines and bulk collection sites—and protections for people who rely on bottled water for their basic needs. 

“We can have a better Bottle Bill,” Smith said. “We can collect more containers and provide more convenience with less litter and less hassle. We can give the people what they want, and we can do it all without a corporate giveaway.”

The Environmental Council’s strategic campaigns director Trent Wolf testified against the legislation Dec. 5 in a Senate Committee. The bills passed and are now before the full chamber.

A previous version of this Discover post was published on Nov. 13, 2024.