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<o:p></o:p>Last week, Oklahoma State Representative Ryan Kiesel
announced
that he plans to introduce a <a
href="http://www.newsok.com/oklahoma-lawmaker-ryan-kiesel-to-propose-bottle-deposit-program/article/3403675">bottle
and can deposit law next legislative session. </a><span style=""> </span>Many
states have <a href="http://www.bottlebill.org/">bottle deposit</a>
laws now.<span style=""> </span>These laws fight litter, promote
better
health, and support existing recycling programs.<o:p> </o:p>
<p class="MsoNormal">A deposit bill is not a tax on anyone... except
perhaps a
tax on the lazy. People who purchase a can or bottle pay an extra $.05
fee which they get back when they return the item.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The details of the bill have yet to be determined
and I have
some questions myself. <span style=""> </span>Will <st1:State
w:st="on">Oklahoma</st1:State> keep 100% of the unredeemed deposits
like <st1:State w:st="on">Connecticut</st1:State> or return 100% of
them to the retailers and
bottlers like <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:State w:st="on">Oregon</st1:State></st1:place>?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I would hope we would be closer to the <st1:State
w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New York</st1:place></st1:State> model
where the state keeps 80% of
the unredeemed deposits and the retailers get the other 20%. After all,
the
retailers would be the ones to collect the bottles and cans and have to
recycle
them.<span style=""> </span>I can't see <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:State
w:st="on">Oklahoma</st1:State></st1:place> passing such a bill if we
don't
allow them to keep some of the unredeemed deposits but the state would
lose a
lot of incentive if they did not get to keep some.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Let me know what you think.<br>
</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Brian Figgins<br>
<o:p></o:p></p>
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