Single-use beverage containers make up 18% of all U.S. packaging, yet recycling rates remain stagnant at around 24%, prompting states to explore policies like Extended Producer Responsibility and Deposit Return Systems (Bottle Bills) to boost recycling and support a shift to reuse. This session explores how to design these policies for long-term success, with insights on ensuring deposit systems accommodate both recyclables AND reusable containers, findings from a California feasibility study on reuse integration, and strategies for embedding infrastructure and land use policies that support reuse into urban planning.
Rethinking Beverage Containers: From Recycling to Reuse
October 23, 2025 from 9:30 am to 10:30 am
Speaker: Elizabeth Balkan, Michael Wasserman, Clare Mifflin