LANSING, Mich. — A state senator in Michigan introduced new legislation Thursday that would expand Michigan's bottle deposit law.
Senate Bills 1112 and 1113, introduced by Sen. Sean McCann (D-Kalamazoo), would increase the types of beverages and containers covered by the law, require all stores that sell returnable beverages to accept all returns and change how unclaimed bottle deposit funds are used by the state.
The bills aim to make all beverages containers returnable with the following exceptions:
- Milk containers
- Baby formula containers
- Frozen storage containers
- Containers larger than one gallon
- Containers of fruit or vegetable juice 1/2 gallon or larger
New options and requirements to spend unclaimed returns are also implemented in the bills. Any money from unclaimed returns would be distributed to the following funds:
- 1.5% to the department of environment, Great Lakes, and energy for staffing and programs related to this act.
- 6% to the department of environment, Great Lakes, and energy for marketing participation and compliance with this act.
- 1.5% to the department of licensing and regulatory affairs for staffing and programs related to this act.
- 6% to the bottle bill enforcement fund created under section 3c(2).
- 85% to the resource recovery fund created under section 3g for system improvement grants.
The legislation would also add transparency to the bottle return law through annual reporting of the performance of the bottle deposit system, including return rates and fund expenditures.
Michigan saw one of its lowest bottle return redemption rates in history in 2023, with an estimated $105 million worth of cans and bottles that weren't returned.
If passed, the legislation would not take effect and instead would be added to the ballot for the Nov. 3, 2026 general election to be voted on by Michiganders. If Michigan voters approve the proposal, the new laws would take effect six months after the election is certified.
These newly introduced bills come months after three pieces of legislation seeking to change Michigan's bottle deposit laws have stalled in committee.
