Groups lobby to increase bottle redemption fees

Bigger Bottle Bill advocates hold rally

Bigger Bottle Bill advocates hold rally at the Capitol in Albany to try to get passage of the legislation, which would increase redemption fees from 5 cents to 10 cents.

As lawmakers prepare to return to Albany to take up non-budget issues, a group of advocates will deliver a message in a bottle to each lawmaker urging them to support the “Bigger Better Bottle Law.”

The bill would expand the current law to include containers for sports drinks, wine and spirits. It would also raise the deposit fee from 5 cents to 10 cents.

The groups rallied Monday to point out the billions of containers that could be recycled for money but are instead stuck as trash across New York state.

The groups also plan to release a list of over one thousand charities benefiting from the Bottle Bill.