In his February 23 column (appearing in the Sunday edition), the Baltimore Sun‘s columnnist Dan Rodricks offers his support for proposed legislation to impose a 5 cent deposit on bottles, cans, and other containers. From the column:
Maryland has recycling programs, but [bill sponsor and House Environmental matters Committee Chair Maggie] McIntosh says we’re only recycling about 25 percent of the estimated 4 billion bottles and aluminum cans that come through our consumer market every year. “In states where they have deposits,” she says, “the returns are three times that.”
Recycling is great. Baltimore and the Maryland counties have made huge progress on that front. But obviously not enough. Anyone who has ever seen the Inner Harbor or Back River after a big rain can tell you that.
So, make each bottle or can worth a nickel, and you suddenly have a monetary incentive for people not otherwise inclined to recycle or pick up trash.
