We're building the coalition to pass a beverage container deposit law in Virginia — proven in 10 states to slash litter, triple recycling rates, and create thousands of jobs.
When you pay a small deposit on a bottle, you get it back when you return the container. This one mechanism has transformed recycling and litter in every state that's adopted it.
States with bottle bills see an average 80% reduction in beverage container litter. Deposits create an immediate financial incentive: return the container, get your money back.
See the data →Virginia recycles only 23% of single-use beverage containers. Bottle bill states average 71% — with Michigan and Vermont exceeding 90%. The gap is striking and fixable.
Compare the numbers →Massachusetts saw 1,260 full-time equivalent jobs and a $43–72M value-add to the state economy. Deposit programs create 11–38× more jobs than curbside recycling alone.
Economic impact →We started with dog walks and ended up at the General Assembly. Every neighborhood deserves streets that aren't blanketed in throwaway plastic.
— Rick Galliher, President & Co-Founder
The Virginia Bottle Bill Organization was founded by three neighbors frustrated with the relentless stream of plastic littering their community walks. That frustration became research, then advocacy, then legislation.
We are now a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with formal legislative leadership, active coalition partnerships, and a growing petition base. We engage directly with the Virginia General Assembly and work alongside environmental groups, municipal governments, and concerned Virginians statewide.
Representatives respond to demonstrated public support. Sign the petition, share with neighbors, and help us build an undeniable mandate for change.
We're a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded on the simple conviction that Virginia's streets, waterways, and communities deserve better than throwaway plastic and missed recycling opportunities.
The Virginia Bottle Bill Organization began with three dog walkers who were fed up with the beverage containers cluttering their daily routes. Our concern for the environment, frustration over Virginia's poor recycling rates, and the relentless growth of single-use plastic waste made us band together to fight for change.
Many concerned individuals, environmental groups, and manufacturers were already fighting to reduce plastic use — but none had organized a coalition specifically to pass a bottle bill in Virginia. We stepped in to fill that void.
We knew it could be a long fight. In New York, lobby groups outspent the pro-bottle bill coalition 100-to-1 over a decade. They eventually lost — and New York now has one of the best recycling rates in the nation. We're prepared for the same journey here.
We work to build the broad public and political coalition necessary to pass a beverage container deposit-and-return system — a "bottle bill" — in the Commonwealth of Virginia. We engage citizens, legislators, environmental allies, and industry partners in pursuit of a cleaner, more sustainable state.
Former owner of a 1-800-GOT-JUNK franchise for 18 years, Rick brings deep insight into waste management in Northern Virginia. He serves on the Virginia DEQ's Waste Diversion and Recycling Task Force and is a board member of the Faith Alliance for Climate Solutions.
A retired Software Engineer and Veterinary Technician, Mary brings dual-career depth to our operations. She is passionate about protecting Virginia's natural landscapes from plastic pollution and manages the organization's day-to-day activities.
An environmental scientist and WWF ambassador, Jaimi has lobbied on Capitol Hill for environmental legislation and contributed to the successful passage of key recycling bills in the U.S. Senate. She specializes in microplastics research and marine conservation.
Adding your name signals to Virginia's legislators that this matters to their constituents.
A beverage container deposit-and-return system, known colloquially as a "bottle bill," is one of the most effective and economically efficient environmental policies ever enacted.
When you buy a beverage at a store, you pay a small deposit — typically 5 or 10 cents — on each bottle or can. When you return the empty container to a store or redemption center, you receive your deposit back. That's it. That simple financial incentive is extraordinarily effective.
A Bottle Bill is slang for "a beverage container deposit and redemption system." There are over 50 active deposit systems worldwide, including 10 U.S. states, with 50 years of data proving what works and what doesn't.
Modern deposit systems have evolved well beyond standing in line at a grocery store. Today's best programs offer multiple return pathways:
In-store reverse vending machines — automated kiosks at participating retailers
Dedicated redemption centers — staffed facilities for larger volumes
Bag-drop programs — tag your bag and drop it off without waiting in line
Account-based crediting — funds transferred directly to your registered account
Bottle bills were first introduced in the 1970s to combat litter from beer and soda containers — the primary culprits at the time. Since then, hundreds of new beverage types and container designs have emerged, and the policy has evolved accordingly. Modern bottle bills cover all beverage containers, not just specific drinks.
The goal has also expanded: while reducing litter remains central, today's programs are recognized as key tools for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, boosting local economies, and creating high-quality recycled material that manufacturers actually want.
Curbside recycling and bottle bills are complementary, not competing, systems. Research from the Congressional Research Service states clearly: "Neither constitutes a comprehensive program by itself. Neither excludes the use of the other."
The problem with curbside alone is threefold: contamination rates in single-stream bins can reach 40%; up to a third of beverages are consumed away from home; and flat-fee collection provides no per-unit incentive to recycle more. A deposit system addresses all three issues.
Public pressure is what moves legislation. Add your name today.
The evidence is unambiguous. Virginia's roadways, waterways, and communities are paying an avoidable price for the lack of a deposit return system.
A multi-year Clark County litter study found that beverage containers make up 69% of all collected litter. A separate three-year tally in Middleburg, Virginia found the same figure: 70%. These numbers are consistent — and they tell a clear story.
In Virginia's streams and coastal areas, four of the top eight most commonly found litter items are beverage containers: plastic bottles, cans, caps and lids, and glass bottles. This data was compiled over 20 years by Clean Virginia Waterways at Longwood University.
In bottle bill states, plastic bottles make up only 4.43% of coastal litter. In Virginia, that figure is 11.01% — nearly three times higher.
Northern Virginia's curbside recycling rate sits at just 21% — reflecting the absence of any financial incentive to recycle. Meanwhile, states with bottle bills average 71%, and Vermont and Alberta, Canada exceed 90%. The gap is vast, and it's not due to a lack of caring Virginians. It's due to a lack of infrastructure and incentive.
Virginia currently recycles an estimated 23% of single-use beverage containers overall. Reloop's Global Deposit Book reports that high-performing bottle bill programs now exceed 90% return rates. The technology and logistics exist — we simply haven't adopted the policy.
A Virginia bottle bill isn't just good for the environment — it's good for the economy. When Massachusetts revised its bottle law in 2012, it generated 1,260 full-time equivalent jobs, with a ripple effect of 1,700 jobs worth $24 million in wages. The total value added to the state economy was between $43 and $72 million, plus millions more in state tax revenue.
Container Recycling Institute data shows deposit programs create 11 to 38 times more jobs than curbside recycling or landfill disposal, because each container must be counted, sorted, transported, and remanufactured.
Deposit systems produce dramatically higher-quality recyclable material. Single-stream curbside contamination rates can approach 40%. Because deposit containers are hand-sorted and returned individually, they command a high resale value and are actively sought by manufacturers.
Virginia is home to two Owens-Illinois glass manufacturing plants — but they currently must import recycled glass from other states because Virginia's recycling stream doesn't produce enough clean material. A bottle bill would change that immediately.
PET plastic bottles from bottle bill states get recycled back into bottles. From single-stream programs, contamination is so high they typically become carpet fiber. A bottle bill closes the loop.
It is always more efficient to recover materials from the waste stream than to extract virgin material and create new containers. Bottle bills reduce the energy required for manufacturing by up to 30% and reduce greenhouse gas emissions at every stage — from production through disposal.
Bottle bill states also reduce landfill waste and incineration air pollution simultaneously, because the high return rate means far fewer containers reach landfills or incinerators at all.
Beverage companies once maintained their bottles through refillable deposit systems — keeping containers out of the environment. When they shifted to "nonreturnable" packaging, they transferred the cost of waste management to taxpayers. A deposit system realigns those costs: the manufacturer, retailer, and consumer who produce and use the container bear the cost of managing it after use. This is Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) in practice.
Help us prove it to our elected officials. Every signature counts.
Our legislative strategy targets the Virginia General Assembly with evidence-based, carefully crafted deposit legislation informed by the best-performing programs nationwide.
Our proposed legislation calls for a beverage container deposit-and-return system for the Commonwealth of Virginia. Key provisions include:
A minimum 10-cent deposit on all beverage containers — including plastic, glass, and aluminum — sold in Virginia. Consumers receive the full deposit back upon returning containers to authorized redemption points. Retailers and redemption centers receive a handling fee. Unredeemed deposits flow to a state environmental fund.
All retailers above a certain square footage would be required to operate reverse vending machines or participate in a nearby certified redemption center. Dedicated high-volume redemption centers with bag-drop capabilities are encouraged statewide.
Experience in other states shows that a portion of deposits — typically 20–40% — are never redeemed. These funds, rather than reverting to beverage companies, would fund environmental programs, litter cleanup, and additional recycling infrastructure in Virginia.
10 U.S. states currently have active beverage container deposit laws:
Michigan's 10-cent deposit — the highest in the U.S. — has produced a container recycling rate consistently above 95%. It is the only Great Lake state with a bottle bill, and the difference in litter along its shorelines compared to neighboring states is dramatic and well-documented.
Oregon passed its bottle bill in 1971 — one of the first in the country. It has been updated multiple times to expand covered containers and increase deposit amounts, and today runs one of the most convenient and comprehensive deposit return systems in North America.
New York's bottle bill was fought vigorously by beverage industry lobbyists who outspent advocates 100-to-1 for over a decade. After passage, New York achieved some of the highest beverage container recycling rates in the eastern U.S. The industry's predicted economic catastrophe never materialized.
Join thousands of Virginians who want our state to catch up with the rest of the country.
Addressing the most common questions — and misconceptions — about beverage container deposit legislation.
The evidence from other states suggests the opposite. When New York enacted its bottle bill, the beverage industry predicted dire economic consequences. Those consequences never materialized. Massachusetts' revised program added 1,260 full-time equivalent jobs and contributed $43–72 million in economic value. Retailers who handle returns receive a handling fee that helps offset operational costs, and the increased foot traffic from return visits can boost overall store sales.
No. Bottle bills and curbside recycling are complementary systems. The Congressional Research Service concludes that "both systems can serve as elements of comprehensive recycling programs" and that states achieve greater diversion at lower cost per ton when both are in place. Beverage containers consumed outside the home — at parks, stadiums, offices — rarely make it into curbside bins. A deposit system captures these containers through a different, parallel pathway.
No. A deposit is fundamentally different from a tax. A tax is money paid to the government that you do not get back. A deposit is money held temporarily by the system that is fully returned to you when you return the container. If you recycle every container you purchase, you pay zero net deposit. The only people who effectively "pay" a deposit are those who choose not to recycle — and even then, their containers are typically collected by others who earn the deposit as a reward for picking them up.
Smaller retailers do face operational considerations — managing returns, storing containers, handling the redemption process. This is why modern bottle bill programs include several alternatives: mandatory reverse vending machines for larger stores, certified third-party redemption centers, and bag-drop programs that require minimal retailer involvement. The handling fee paid to retailers also compensates them for the service they provide.
In states where unredeemed deposits revert to beverage companies, there is little incentive for those companies to improve the system. Virginia's proposed legislation would direct unredeemed deposits to a dedicated environmental fund — used to support recycling infrastructure, litter cleanup programs, and environmental education initiatives. This turns abandoned deposits into a public benefit.
Yes, and this is one of the more compelling social benefits. Many bottle bill states allow charities to register for direct deposit of refunds from willing donors. People can donate their return refund automatically to a registered charity. Charitable organizations can also sponsor collection drives. Oregon's BottleDrop program has raised millions of dollars for nonprofits through exactly this mechanism.
Virginia's proposed legislation targets all beverage containers: plastic (PET and HDPE), glass, and aluminum. This covers water, soda, beer, juice, sports drinks, energy drinks, and other beverages. It does not cover milk containers or 100% juice containers under a certain size, consistent with most existing state programs. The focus is on the containers most likely to become litter — those consumed quickly, often outside the home.
Still have questions?
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Legislation passes when elected officials see organized, sustained public support. Every action you take — signing, sharing, donating, or presenting — builds the coalition we need.
Add your name to our growing list of Virginians who support a bottle bill. We deliver petition signatures directly to your state legislators — demonstrating that this is a priority for their constituents.
Sign Now ↓As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, we rely entirely on donations from supporters like you. Your contribution funds our legislative outreach, educational materials, and coalition-building activities.
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By signing, you authorize the Virginia Bottle Bill Organization to notify your state legislators that you support beverage container deposit legislation in Virginia.
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