Why Washington Needs a Bottle Bill: Recycling Refunds Are Essential to Cutting Litter and Plastic Pollution
At Surfrider Foundation Washington, we see firsthand how litter and plastic pollution threaten our ocean, waves, and beaches — and beverage containers are a major part of the problem. While Washingtonians care deeply about keeping our state clean, our current recycling system is failing to capture some of the most common and most recyclable materials we use every day.
Beverage Containers Are a Major Source of Litter
Beverage containers made of plastic, glass, and metal are consistently among the top items collected during beach cleanups and open-space litter removals across Washington.
According to the Washington Department of Ecology’s 2022 litter study, there are 42 pounds of beverage containers per mile along our highways. Despite being highly recyclable, only 30% of beverage containers are recycled statewide. The rest often end up as roadside litter, in rivers and streams, or ultimately in the ocean.
Our current co-mingled recycling system also creates problems. When glass containers are crushed during collection and transport, glass shards contaminate other recyclables, lowering the quality of materials and making recycling less efficient and more expensive.
Beverage containers clearly need their own clean recycling stream — and that’s where a bottle bill comes in.
The Solution: Recycling Refunds (A Bottle Bill)
Surfrider Foundation Washington supports SB 5502 / HB 1607, also known as the Recycling Refund Act, which would establish a statewide bottle deposit program.
Bottle bills are proven to work. In states with similar programs, beverage container litter has been reduced by up to 80%. By placing a refundable deposit on containers, the program creates a strong incentive to return bottles and cans for recycling or reuse — instead of throwing them away.
Just as importantly, a Recycling Refunds program pulls beverage containers into a separate, cleaner recycling stream, improving material quality and increasing recycling efficiency.
Evidence from Oregon and British Columbia shows that deposit programs can increase recycling rates for beverage containers to 80–90% within three to five years — a dramatic improvement over Washington’s current system.
How the Recycling Refund Program Would Work
Under SB 5502 / HB 1607:
Beverage brands would be required to form a Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO) to fund and operate the program
Consumers would pay a 10-cent deposit on most beverage containers and receive that 10 cents back when containers are returned for recycling or reuse
Convenient drop-off locations would be available statewide, including sites that offer immediate refunds and participating local retailers
Bag drop locations (where consumers can drop off bags of bottles and cans) would be located in retail parking lots and funded by beverage companies — not Washington residents
The program must achieve a 65% redemption rate by Year 3 and 80% by Year 6, with reuse rates beginning in Year 5 and increasing annually
Any unredeemed deposits would be reinvested into education, outreach, and expanding redemption sites to further improve participation
The program would fully cover the state’s costs for administration and enforcement
Cleaner Communities, Lower Costs
Reducing litter and improving recycling saves money. Local governments and ratepayers spend millions each year cleaning up litter — including along highways, where groups like the Ellensburg Youth Corps routinely collect discarded beverage containers.
Less litter and cleaner recycling streams mean lower cleanup costs, more efficient recycling infrastructure, and better outcomes for communities across Washington.
Working Together for Bigger Impact
Washington recently passed a major Recycling Reform Act, which Surfrider supported as an important step forward. Pairing that law with a Recycling Refunds program accelerates progress, ensures statewide access to recycling, and creates efficiencies for infrastructure, reuse, and material recovery.
Together, these policies tackle waste at the source and keep pollution out of our waterways before it reaches the ocean.
Strong Public Support Across Washington
New polling shows that 67% of Washingtonians initially support a bottle bill — and support grows to 75% after people learn more about how the policy works. Support is strong across political parties and regions, making Recycling Refunds a widely trusted and politically popular solution.
Surfrider Washington Is Taking Action
Surfrider Foundation Washington is actively advocating for SB 5502 / HB 1607 as part of our broader mission to reduce plastic pollution and protect clean water. We are working with partners, mobilizing volunteers, educating communities, and engaging lawmakers to ensure this proven solution becomes law.
A Cleaner Washington Is Within Reach
Beverage containers don’t belong in our rivers, along our highways, or on our beaches. A Recycling Refunds program is a common-sense, proven approach that delivers real environmental, economic, and community benefits.
Surfrider Foundation Washington urges lawmakers to pass SB 5502 / HB 1607 and take a critical step toward a cleaner, healthier Washington — from our highways to our shorelines.