Recyclable Container Compliance
Bayne Law Group is uniquely experienced in providing current and updated legal advice and counsel to companies engaged in the sale of bottled beverages throughout the United States.
Container deposit laws, commonly referred to as bottle bills, require a small, refundable deposit on beverage containers and apply to the in-state distribution of covered beverages, regardless of bottling or manufacturing location. Some states require payment of handling fees to cover the costs of handling, sorting, and boxing of empty containers for pickup by a distributor.
Contact The Bayne Law Group to consult with an experienced attorney concerning Bottle Bill & Beverage Container compliance.
Multi-State Bottle Bill Compliance
Ten states/territories currently have bottle bills: California, Connecticut, Guam, Hawai’i, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, Oregon, and Vermont. Deposit laws vary from location to location, compliance can be complex, and penalties for non-compliance can add up quickly to staggeringly high and in one state, certain charges can reach felony status.
It is important to understand and comply with the nuances of each state’s Bottle Bill: the definition of “distributor” and “deposit Initiator”, which beverages and containers are covered, what labeling requirements and handling fees apply, dedicated bank account requirements, reporting requirements, and more.
For illustrative purposes only, without any legal advice being offered through this informational site, below is a broad summary, not inclusive of all requirements and not constituting legal advice, of the Bottle Bills for California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, Oregon, and Vermont:
BayneLaw Nationwide Compliance Chart Summary | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CA | CT | HI | IA | ME | MA | MI | NY | OR | VT | |
Handling Fee | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||
Registration Required | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |||
Labeling Requirements | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Bank Account Required | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||||||
Reporting Requirements | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Important factors not included in the above chart include, but are not limited to, different container refund values within a single state for certain categories of beverages and whether unredeemed deposit monies are kept by the distributor or escheat to the state.
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Our attorneys and staff are prepared to provide the sophisticated representation required by emerging and established businesses from small, mid-market and Fortune 500 companies. Our managing member, Andrew Bayne, has been a practicing commercial attorney for nearly two decades, and has earned an AV Preeminent* rating through Martindale-Hubbell’s peer review standard.
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