Beer and soda may come with something extra

Collecting litter may become a profitable business in Nevada under a bill discussed Tuesday by an Assembly panel.

Assemblyman James Ohrenschall, D-Las Vegas, told the Assembly Committee on Natural Resources, Agriculture and Mining that AB429 would help cut down on trash he sees piled up in the desert and would be an incentive the state needs to begin taking recycling seriously.

The bill would add a 5-cent deposit to fizzy drinks and beer and may be extended to include energy drinks and non-carbonated water.

Ohrenschall outlined a program that mimics those in 10 other states: Consumers pay the 5-cent deposit at the time of purchase and get the money back when they return the empty containers.

Money from unredeemed deposits would go toward environmental education. Ohrenschall said California averages around $120 million in unclaimed deposits a year.

Committee member John Ellison, R-Elko, and Lea Tauchen who represents the Nevada Association of Retailers said the bill would be a considerable burden for mom-and-pop stores, which would have to find a place to store the recyclables.

"I believe in recycling. And I believe in keeping the environment clean. But at a point in time somebody's going to have to collect this stuff. Somebody is going to have to keep inventory of this stuff," Ellison said.

Lesley Pittman, who spoke on behalf of brewer Miller-Coors, questioned whether AB429 was more about raising money for the state general fund or improving recycling rates. If the goal is the latter, Pittman said, recycling programs that allow citizens to place all their recyclables in one place are more effective.

Kyle Davis, with the Nevada Conservation League, was clear on reasons to support the bill.

"They work. They help with the water stream and they increase recycling rates," he said, noting that beverage containers make up between 40 percent and 60 percent of litter and that half of all containers recycled in the U.S. come from places with bottle bills.

No action was taken.