Will Packaging Taxes Solve Waste Issues, or Escalate the Problem?
TerraCycle Tom-Blog
Many environmentalists would say that packaging taxes (like
bottle bills) are the solution to low recycling rates and the packaging
waste problem. The way these programs work is that they charge packaging
companies a “tax” per unit produced as a “deposit” and then give that
deposit back to the consumer when they return the package to a center
(could be a supermarket or a recycling center). Currently there are
bottle bills in over 10 states and a number of Canadian provinces.
While all manufacturers should take full ownership over the entire
lifecycle of their product (especially their packaging) is forcing “bottle
bill type” laws the most optimal solution? In certain Canadian provinces
(such as BC), there are such programs for even non-recyclable packaging
waste including waxy milk/orange juice cartons and drink pouches. The
program is a government partnership and has shown 40-45% increases in the
total number of containers collected in BC. Bravo!