Plymouth: Selectmen vote to support bottle bill on Beacon Hill

Plymouth Selectmen discussed a proposed change in the deposit system which would expand the five cent deposit to nearly all beverages, including water, iced tea juice and sports drinks. Selectman John Mahoney is liaison to the town’s Solid Waste Advisory Committee.

“The majority of selectmen voted tonight to support the initiative on Beacon Hill for the expansion of the nickel deposit onto non-carbonated beverages. Statistics show that the beverages currently with the deposit on them are recycled at a very high rate as opposed to those without the deposit,” said Mahoney.

Although Selectman Belinda Brewster does recycle, she is not in support of the change.

“I just have a problem with the only solution that seems to be, is to add a deposit to a bottle when it could be better done with better education as opposed to just always asking for money.”

Bills proposing changes to the bottle deposit system are set to be heard before a legislative committee in Boston Wednesday.