The Bottle Bill Works
WORKING FOR A COMMONSENSE BILL — WashPIRG is calling on Gov. Jay Inslee and the legislature to implement a 5-cent deposit on beverage containers to reduce litter and increase recycling.
To Increase Recycling
Washingtonians are recycling more than ever, but we’re still throwing away more than two-thirds of our plastic bottles! That’s why we’re working to pass a 5-cent redeemable deposit on beverage containers to increase recycling and put Washington on the path towards zero waste.
To Reduce Waste
The Bottle Bill is proven to be one of the nation’s most successful recycling programs. The 10 states with Bottle Bills have an average container recycling rate of 60 percent. And with budget cuts threatening our litter control programs, we need to take action to make sure our neighborhoods, parks and waterways don’t get trashed.
For Washington
Big beverage companies and waste haulers will fight to maintain the status quo. But by demonstrating the public’s overwhelming support—and by putting our experts and advocates in the hearing rooms and offices where key decisions are being made—we can pass this commonsense bill.
Issue updates
Recycling challenges vary across the country, but, overall, states are failing to both reduce unnecessary waste and adjust to a changing recycling landscape, according to a new study from U.S. PIRG Education Fund and Environment America Research & Policy Center. The State Of Recycling U.S. National Survey looks at programs in Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin, providing case studies and insight into specific issues that plague recycling efforts nationwide.
Recycling challenges vary across the country, but, overall, states are failing to both reduce unnecessary waste and adjust to a changing recycling landscape, according to a new study from U.S. PIRG Education Fund and Environment America Research & Policy Center.
Congress is taking a look at the ways that Apple makes it harder to fix our iPhones, iPads and other products as a part of a larger antitrust investigation.
The number of statewide plastic bag bans in the U.S. tripled in June, with Maine, Vermont, Connecticut and Oregon adding themselves to the list.
We've been telling everybody who will listen that the companies that make electronics and other products should make it easier to repair your stuff. In July, we got to tell the Federal Trade Commission...
Solid Waste
The state of recycling
In 2019, the state of recycling is disappointing. Our report shows that in order to tackle our plastic waste crisis, we need to reduce our reliance on single-use plastics we don't need, reuse what we can, and make it possible to recycle the rest. The time to take action is now.
Solid Waste | U.S. PIRG
Beyond Plastic
New plan could be single biggest step our country takes to curb plastic waste
Solid Waste | U.S. PIRG
We want the right to repair our stuff
Companies make it hard to repair our phones and other electronics so more of us trash our old stuff and buy new stuff. The Federal Trade Commission can make it easier.
Solid Waste | U.S. PIRG
Let's move beyond plastic
Nothing we use for a few minutes should threaten our health and pollute our future for hundreds of years. One of the best ways to reduce the amount of trash headed to landfills is to ban items such as plastic foam cups and takeout containers.
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