Oregon Bottle Bill: Difference between revisions

Redemption of out-of-state containers is considered a fraud and prohibited by the bottle bill. Retailers and redemption centers may refuse to accept containers when they have reasonable grounds to believe they were purchased outside of Oregon. Staff at some locations near the state border request receipts proving the containers being redeemed were purchased in Oregon.<ref name="ofaq" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bottledropcenters.com/About/FAQ|title=BottleDrop Oregon Redemption Centers FAQ|access-date=May 2, 2019|quote=No, bringing any amount of out of state purchased cans and bottles in to Oregon for a refund is fraudulent per the Oregon Bottle Bill. A person does not have to be an Oregon resident to redeem containers in Oregon, but only beverage containers that were purchased in Oregon may legally be redeemed in Oregon. If you live out of state and purchase deposit eligible containers in Oregon, we advise to keep those receipts to present to BottleDrop staff upon request.}}</ref> Fraudulent redemption has been a problem according to [[KATU (TV)|KATU]] news. As told to KATU reporter by a coop (OBRC) representative, the redemption center staff at [[Delta Park]] near the state boundary catches about 50 people per day from Washington.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://katu.com/news/local/oregon-recycling-centers-seeing-more-non-redeemable-containers-from-washington|title=Oregon recycling centers seeing more non-redeemable containers -- from Washington|last=English|first=Joe|date=December 8, 2018|work=KATU|access-date=May 2, 2019}}</ref> [[C-Tran (Washington)|C-TRAN]] which operates public transit service that traverses between [[Vancouver, Washington]] and [[Portland, Oregon|Portland]] have banned the carrying of empty beverage containers on their service for safety and sanitation reasons created by people who carry cans across the state line on their service to redeem them in Portland.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.columbian.com/news/2018/sep/14/c-tran-to-ban-empty-bottles-and-cans/|title=C-Tran to ban empty bottles and cans|date=2018-09-14|website=The Columbian|language=en|access-date=2019-05-02}}</ref> Jules Bailey speaking on behalf of the OBRC states he does not know the magnitude of the problem, but that it is mostly an issue with Washington containers around the Columbia corridor and minimal issues with California or Idaho.<ref>http://oregon.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?clip_id=26771 House Committee On Energy and Environment 2019-05-02 1PM, Jules Bailey (OBRC) 23:20</ref> Senate Bill 522 sponsored by senator [[Betsy Johnson (politician)|Betsy Johnson]] from [[Scappoose, Oregon|Scappoose]] fines those who bring out-of-state containers. SheJohnson told KGW "retail grocers in her district every day are overwhelmed with massive bottle returns from the Washington side of river, sometimes by the pickup load."<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/bill-fines-people-who-redeem-washington-bottles-cans-in-oregon/283-fe60d3a7-0014-4cb3-a571-1b8942f36429|title=Bill fines people who redeem Washington bottles & cans in Oregon|last=Rollins|first=Michael|date=March 13, 2019|access-date=2019-05-03|website=KGW}}</ref> AtDuring the public hearing referenced in the KGW article, the store director for Saintthe [[St. Helens, Oregon|St. Helens]] Safeway testified to the committee that he'sof seenseeing a dramatic increase in Washington residents returning containers and described that people arrive in Washington plate vehicles with cases of bottled water and emptying them out on the parking lot to prepare the bottles to return into bottle machines at the Safeway location he manages.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2019R1/Downloads/CommitteeMeetingDocument/173187|title=To: Oregon Legislation SB 522 Committee RE: Washington beverage containers returned to Oregon|last=Knight|first=Doug|date=March 14, 2019}}</ref> Northwest Grocery Association's president reported redemption rates at redemption centers near the Oregon state border have seen a sharp rise, sometimes over 100% following the deposit value increase in Oregon.<ref name=":1" />

September 2019: Modification to include all [[kombucha]] and [[hard seltzer]] 3 liters and under into covered beverages. (SB 247).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oregon.gov/OLCC/Pages/bottle_bill.aspx|title=FAQ|quote=, all hard seltzers and kombuchas are included in the Bottle Bill and have an Oregon 10-cent refund value if in metal, glass, or plastic bottles or cans in sizes 3 liters or less.}}</ref> SB 522 was signed into law making fraudulent redemption of out of state container a violation punishable by a fine up to $250.<ref name=":21">{{Cite web |date=2019 |title=Chapter 297 |url=https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/bills_laws/lawsstatutes/2019orlaw0297.pdf |url-status= |website=Oregon Legislature}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=May 3, 2023 |title=Can Idahoans redeem deposits from Oregon's bottle bill? |url=https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/local/208/can-idahoans-redeem-deposits-from-oregon-bottle-recycling-bill/277-75af4124-c35b-4a4f-b40d-f3b05624d651 |access-date=2023-06-29 |website=ktvb.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Audit: 50 years on, Oregon can do more to boost environmental effects of bottle deposit |url=https://www.statesmanjournal.com/story/news/politics/2020/11/10/audit-oregon-bill-environmental-goals-recycling-center/6229830002/ |access-date=2023-06-29 |website=Statesman Journal |language=en-US}}</ref>

January 2020: The act of returning containers fraudulent became a violation effective January 1, 2020.<ref name=":21" /> The OLCC announced the addition of 4oz to 1.5 liter sized Kefir, drinkable yogurt, milk-based smoothies and other beverages which are mostly milk or milk substitute with additions of other ingredients. Milk and plant-based milk substitutes are not covered,<ref name="2019c" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ktvz.com/news/oregon-northwest/2019/12/20/oregon-bottle-bill-changes-additions-coming-in-new-year/|title=Oregon Bottle Bill changes, additions coming in new year|last=Lerten|first=Barney|date=2019-12-21|website=KTVZ|language=en-US|access-date=2019-12-24}}</ref> however, the same agency announced it was withdrawing the decision<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oregon.gov/OLCC/Pages/bottle_bill.aspx|title=The Bottle Bill & Redemption Centers|website=OLCC Bottle Bill|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200212030600/https://www.oregon.gov/OLCC/Pages/bottle_bill.aspx|archive-date=2020-02-12}}</ref> on February 5, 2020 due to the concerns caused by spilt milk in the OBRC's back-end.<ref name=":9" /> In the 2018 expansion, Kefir was exempt from having a refund value.<ref name="FAQs" />