Governor gets bill putting deposits on wine and liquor bottles, many made in Modesto
Lawmakers have given final approval to a bill adding wine and liquor bottles to California’s deposit program.
SB 1013 aims to boost glass recycling by placing deposits of 5 or 10 cents, depending on bottle size, starting in 2024.
It now goes to Gov. Gavin Newsom following unanimous votes in the Assembly and Senate on Wednesday, Aug. 31.
The measure is of interest in the Modesto area, which produces much of the nation’s wine. The largest company, E.&J. Gallo Winery, already uses vast amounts of recycled glass in a plant that makes bottles for itself and other producers.
Gallo declined to comment for a previous Modesto Bee story on the bill and could not be reached following the final vote. It makes or distributes several spirits along with its core business of wine.
The bill was amended at the last minute to include spending up to $300 million over five years to increase the state’s capacity for glass recycling.
Co-author lauds ‘historic change’
The deposit program dates to 1986 and pays 5 cents for most beverage containers made of glass, plastic or aluminum. It applies to soda, beer, water and juice, as well as “coolers” that combine wine or spirits with other ingredients.
“SB 1013 is historic change that is 40 years in the making,” co-author Toni Atkins, D-San Diego, president pro tempore of the Senate, said in a news release. “I want to commend the wine industry, distilled spirits industry, environmental advocates and other groups who have come together to support this landmark proposal.”
She and co-author Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, seek to increase the current 30% recycling rate for the 500 million or so wine and spirits bottles produced in the state each year. Backers said this would conserve landfill space, energy and raw materials and reduce climate-changing carbon emissions.
Dime deposit for most
The deposit would be 10 cents on 750-milliliter wine bottles, the most common size, and on larger bottles and jugs. It would be 5 cents on 375-milliliter bottles.
Beverage distributors pay the deposit money into a state fund that in turn pays the recycling centers taking part in the program.
Nine other states have deposit laws, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Four of them — Iowa, New York, Vermont and Maine — include wine, spirits or both.
