May 28, 2020

Governor P.O. Box 30013 Lansing, MI 48909

RE: Bottle and can returns reopening

Dear Governor Whitmer,

Michigan United Conservation Clubs (MUCC) is a 501(c)3 conservation organization representing more than 200 affiliate clubs and 40,000 members in the state of . Founded in 1937, our mission is to unite citizens to conserve, protect and enhance Michigan's natural resources and outdoor heritage. Today, we are reaching out to you to express our concerns on behalf of our members in Michigan regarding the continued closure of deposit container redemption. In 1976, MUCC led the charge to create Michigan’s citizen-initiated bottle deposit law, a model of litter reduction and recycling incentives that has widespread support and has been adopted in several other states across the country. We hope this is an issue we can work together on.

MUCC is conscious of the public health crisis associated with COVID-19 and supports the administration in taking well-informed, scientifically-based action to curb the spread of this virus. Since the onset of the COVID-19 crisis and associated “Stay Home, Stay Safe” orders, bottle return services have been suspended while the 10-cent bottle deposit continues to be paid by the consumer. The resulting backlog of more than $60 million in redemptions continues to grow each week, and with every week that goes by without redemption opportunities, the backlog will become more difficult to manage efficiently and containers will likely end up in landfills. Not only does that increase our solid waste accumulation, it also removes valuable materials from the product stream, forcing manufacturers to use new, non-recycled materials for production.

Other states such as New York, Connecticut, and Oregon are phasing-in or have resumed enforcement of their respective container redemption programs, with Michigan remaining an outlier as the only one of ten container deposit states that does not allow any redemption options for consumers. While other states temporarily suspended enforcement of their respective programs, Michigan is the only state that has prohibited returns during this crisis. All other container deposit states are slated to work towards their full capacity in June.

While there is limited evidence to suggest that container deposit returns pose a significant risk to public health, we encourage redemption locations to implement appropriate social distancing practices whenever and wherever possible. Generally, standard procedures for safe handling of returned containers through the bottle deposit law should continue to be used, including appropriate gloves and any protective clothing normally employed. Both customers and employees should be encouraged to follow CDC guidelines regarding COVID-19 transmission. MUCC has recently been made aware that a plan for re-opening container returns was submitted to your office a month ago on April 28, 2020 by Schupan & Sons, TOMRA, and UBCR in cooperation with the MI Soft Drink Association and the MI Beer & Wine Wholesalers Association. MUCC fully supports this well-thought out process for a safe and slow re-opening to address the considerable stockpile of beverage containers. Our members are anxiously awaiting implementation and the return of their deposits.

Our request is to use this plan to safely re-open the container redemption process as soon as possible, as the challenge will only get bigger and bigger. Communication of a possible start date would be very beneficial to the public who are holding these containers in storage and awaiting the reopening. Your prompt attention to this matter is greatly appreciated. Please do not hesitate to reach out myself or to any of the industry stakeholders for clarifications or if you have any questions.

Yours in Conservation,

Amy Trotter, Executive Director

CC:

Senate Majority Leader Senate Minority Leader Speaker of the House Lee Chatfield House Minority Leader Christine Greig Energy and Environment Policy Advisory Kara Cook Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy Director Liesl Clark