At the recently-held the Environmental Quality Service Council (EQSC) hearing on Recycling, Stephen Segebarth, Senior Vice President of Government Relations, Regulatory Affairs and Law for Verallia North America shared the company’s proposal for a container deposit programme that would avoid landfilling billions of recyclable beverage containers each year.
Representatives from US glass container manufacturer Verallia North America recently shared their proposal for a container deposit programme that would avoid landfilling billions of recyclable beverage containers each year.
The Muncie, Indiana based company spoke at the Environmental Quality Service Council (EQSC) hearing on Recycling at the Indiana State House, where Stephen Segebarth, Senior Vice President of Government Relations, Regulatory Affairs and Law for Verallia North America, testified before the EQSC, discussing the business rationale for container deposit programmes, which already exist in 10 US states.
If adopted in Indiana, a container deposit programme would prevent most of the more than three billion glass, aluminium and plastic beverage bottles from being landfilled, as is currently the case in Indiana.
Instead of being pulled into the municipal solid waste stream where they are all too often simply collected, hauled and disposed of at considerable expense to Indiana taxpayers, such beverage containers would be recognized for what they are: high-demand feedstock commodities valued at approximately USD 60 million a year.
In addition, unredeemed deposits would likely yield another USD 35 to UD 40 million each year, which could be allocated to important projects that lack funding sources today.
“We need to stop burying this treasure,” said Segebarth. “We believe ‘there is a better way’ to handle these valuable recyclable commodities where demand exceeds supply.
“We look forward to finding a resolution to this situation that not only supports Indiana business and jobs but that also demonstrates a commitment to sustainability through reduced energy consumption, air emissions, and waterway and roadside litter.”
Verallia North America is a glass container manufacturer for the food and beverage industries and has 13 facilities in the US.