Staff photo by Erin O. Smith /
Styrofoam cups, plastic bottles, bags and other debris makes certain sections along Chattanooga Creek nearly impassible for paddlers Wednesday, August 8, 2018 in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The litter found floating in the creek can be attributed to a variety of things, including trash being tossed from a passing car, remnants from several nearby homeless camps, trash collected in the city stormwater system landing the creek and storms pushing the litter into the creek.A deposit return program designed to drastically reduce the amount of waste in Tennessee will be proposed in the state Legislature early next year as supporters ramp up an effort to pass legislation that has been nearly 15 years in the making.
The Tennessee Bottle Bill Project, also known as TennCan, would put the state on the forefront of recycling and litter control in the Southeast while joining a growing worldwide effort to reduce container waste. However, it would cost consumers more at the checkout line – a cost that can later be recouped.
“What we’re trying to do is make Tennessee more sustainable by recovering some of the most valuable commodities in recycling stream, which are the beverage containers,” TennCan coordinator Marge Davis said. “We want to keep them from becoming litter and make sure they go back toward manufacturing at the highest level possible.”
The idea effectively works as a tax that citizens have the opportunity to reclaim, although supporters are hesitant to use the word. If passed, a 5-cent cost would be added to plastic, glass and aluminum beverage containers. Residents can receive their money back by dropping off their empty plastic containers at redemption centers that sort and recycle the waste.
Proponents believe the program would boost Tennessee’s 10 percent bottle recycling rate to 80 percent or higher based on decades of data from states with similar programs. They also say it would create jobs, support schools and provide more revenue for nonprofit organizations, which would be done through the redemption centers.