Maryland advocates push for bottle bill to combat plastic pollution

The recent Environment and Transportation Committee session held by the Maryland General Assembly on February 14, 2025, focused heavily on the pressing issue of beverage container litter and its significant contribution to plastic pollution. Advocates for the proposed Maryland bottle bill, known as HB 232, presented compelling arguments for its passage, emphasizing the urgent need for legislative action to address this environmental crisis.

Adam Lindquist, Vice President of the Waterfront Partnership of Baltimore, highlighted alarming statistics, noting that only 25% of beverage containers sold in Maryland are recycled. He pointed out that an estimated 4 billion beverage containers enter the environment each year, exacerbating litter and pollution. Lindquist urged the committee to support the bottle bill, which aims to reduce beverage container litter by up to 85% and increase recycling rates to 90%. He stressed that the funds currently spent on cleaning up litter could be redirected towards enhancing public spaces and parks.

Martha Ainsworth from the Maryland Chapter of the Sierra Club echoed these sentiments, stating that the bottle bill would remove approximately 3.6 billion containers from landfills and the environment annually. Ainsworth emphasized that the bill is politically popular, with over 90% of registered voters in Maryland supporting a refundable deposit program. She argued that the bottle bill is a necessary complement to other recycling initiatives, as it directly addresses litter from beverages consumed away from home.

The session also featured testimony from Greyson Green, a high school student and president of the Annapolis High School Surfrider Student Club. Green shared firsthand experiences from beach cleanups, where plastic bottles were among the most frequently collected items. He underscored the health implications of plastic pollution, noting that litter can ultimately contaminate food and drinking water. Green called for the bottle bill as a proactive measure to prevent further pollution and protect public health.

The discussions during the meeting highlighted a growing consensus among environmental advocates that immediate action is needed to combat plastic pollution in Maryland. The proposed bottle bill represents a strategic approach to not only enhance recycling efforts but also to foster a cultural shift towards responsible waste management. As the committee deliberates, the urgency of addressing this issue remains clear, with advocates urging swift legislative action to implement the Maryland bottle bill and curb the ongoing environmental crisis.