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Vermont House overrides Gov. Scott's bottle bill veto

A countertop recycling bin holds a few bottles.
Taylor Dobbs
/
Vermont Public File
Vermont's House overrode Gov. Scott's veto of a bottle bill introduced last year, which would extend the current deposit on plastic and sports energy drink bottles, and add one to wine bottles.

The Vermont House Thursday voted to override Gov. Phil Scott's veto of a bill that would significantly expand Vermont's bottle deposit law.

The proposal extends the current 5 cent deposit to all plastic bottles and sports energy drinks, and adds a 15 cent deposit to wine bottles. Lawmakers passed the bill last year, and Scott vetoed it in June.

But House Environment and Energy chair Amy Sheldon says the plan would ensure containers are recycled.

"Broadening the types of coverage of containers increases Vermonters' participation in legitimate closed loop recycling and meets the intent of the original Bottle Bill which has been so successful," Sheldon says.

But House Minority leader Patti McCoy says the bill would hurt commercial recycling programs.

"Recycling facilities are already processing materials that do not get redeemed which decreases the cost to Vermonters to get rid of their trash," McCoy says.

The Senate is scheduled to consider the veto override next week. A close vote is expected.

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Bob Kinzel has been covering the Vermont Statehouse since 1981 — longer than any continuously serving member of the Legislature. With his wealth of institutional knowledge, he answers your questions on our series, "Ask Bob."
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