Rhode Island Recycling Study Draft Seeks Public Input by Nov. 16
A new analysis recommends pairing a bottle bill with extended producer responsibility, following a similar recommendation from a 2025 state commission.
By Christopher Singh ·
Rhode Island residents can submit feedback on a new draft plan for beverage container recycling until November 16. The document, posted on the Department of Environmental Management website, outlines strategies to reduce litter and landfill waste. It proposes combining a bottle deposit law with an extended producer responsibility program.
The state has spent years evaluating these options. In summer 2023, a 20-member Plastic Bottle Waste Commission began a two-year review. The group, which included lawmakers, environmental advocates, and industry representatives, held 13 hearings and gathered public comments. In April 2025, the commission released an 18-page report recommending the adoption of a bottle bill, extended producer responsibility, or both.
The commission’s report stated that the current recycling system is ineffective because too much recyclable packaging ends up in landfills, streets, and waterways. Despite the majority recommendation, three commission members argued for more study on modernizing the existing recycling system. The General Assembly accepted this delay and passed a law later in 2025 requiring a new statewide study of beverage container redemption and packaging programs.
A consulting firm hired for this new analysis reached the same conclusion as the previous commission. The draft report suggests that adopting both a bottle bill and an extended producer responsibility program together is the most effective approach. This mirrors the findings from the 2025 commission report, which also favored a combined strategy to improve recycling rates.
Four other New England states have implemented bottle bills in recent decades. Vermont adopted its law in 1972, followed by Maine in 1976, Connecticut in 1978, and Massachusetts in 1981. Rhode Island and New Hampshire remain the only two states in the region without such legislation. Opponents of the measure include Coca-Cola Co. and the Rhode Island Liquor Operators Collaborative.
The previous legislative process regarding plastic waste took a decade to result in a ban on plastic bags. The current phase involves public review of the new draft analysis. The comment period remains open through November 16. The state has not yet scheduled a specific date for a final decision on the proposed programs.
