(Des Moines, IA) — A bill to make changes in Iowa’s can and bottle deposit law has made it farther in the Iowa legislature this year than any previous attempt. Senator Jason Schultz of Schleswig guided the bill through Senate debate Tuesday before the upper chamber passed it 31 to 18. It will let grocery stores refuse bottle and can returns starting next summer and would increase the handling fee for redemption centers from one cent to three cents of every nickel deposit on a beverage container. The wholesalers that distribute beer and pop to retailers would be able to keep unredeemed deposits. Democrats in the Senate opposed the bill, saying there are only 60 redemption centers operating in the state and it will kill the redemption program. A slightly different approach is eligible for debate in the Iowa House.
