Bethel State Representative Raghib Allie-Brennan is touting final legislative approval updating Connecticut's bottle deposit program to encourage residents to recycle.  He notes that the law has become outdated and return rates have dropped below 50-percent. 

The bill, awaiting the governor's signature, updates the types of beverage containers captured by the bottle program, such as containers for teas, juices, hard ciders, and hard seltzers--and increases the redemption rate on beverage containers from 5 to 10 cents starting January 2024.

Brookfield Representative Steve Harding, ranking Republican on the Environment Committee, says there are good parts of the updated bottle bill, but is concerned about infrastructure not being updated.  He says consumers would get charged for a 10-cent deposit and not have access to a redemption center or the time to return their bottles and cans.  He says it works out to an additional 60-cent tax on every individual buying a 12-pack of soda.

Harding later voted against the bill.