New York: Is there a bottle deposit?
Yes. New York's Bottle Bill puts a deposit of at least 5 cents on soda, beer, sparkling and unsweetened water, and wine coolers.
The deposit covers glass, metal, and plastic containers under one gallon. Milk, wine, liquor, hard cider, non-carbonated juice, tea, sports and energy drinks, drink boxes and pouches, and sugar-sweetened water are not covered. The amount is still 5 cents. The last major expansion came in 2009, and DEC has been working on updated rules.
Conditions
- Deposit of at least 5 cents per container
- Covers carbonated soft drinks, beer and malt beverages, mineral and soda water, wine coolers, and water without added sugar
- Glass, metal, or plastic containers under 1 gallon (3.78 liters)
- Not covered: milk, wine, liquor, hard cider, non-carbonated tea, juice, sports and energy drinks, pouches and boxes, sugar-sweetened water
What the law says
No person shall sell or offer for sale a beverage container in this state unless the deposit on such beverage container is or has been collected by a registered deposit initiator and unless such container has a refund value of not less than five cents which is clearly indicated thereon as provided in section 27-1011 of this title.
Sources
- N.Y. Environmental Conservation Law § 27-1005 (refund value) Official · nysenate.gov
- NYS DEC, New York's Bottle Bill Official · dec.ny.gov
Confirm with the state
- Agency
- New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Bottle Bill program
- Phone
- 518-402-8706
- Website
- dec.ny.gov
How bordering states compare
- Connecticut Bottle deposit lawConnecticut puts a refundable 10-cent deposit on most beverage containers, including soda, beer, water, juice and sports drinks.
- Massachusetts Bottle deposit lawMassachusetts requires a refundable deposit of at least 5 cents on soda, carbonated water, mineral water, and beer containers.
- New Jersey No bottle depositNew Jersey has no bottle deposit; businesses pay a non-refundable litter fee instead.
- Pennsylvania No bottle depositPennsylvania has no bottle deposit law. Recycling runs through local programs under the state's 1988 recycling act.
- Vermont Bottle deposit lawVermont has a bottle deposit: 5 cents on beer, soda and similar drinks, and 15 cents on liquor bottles.