‘Cleaning Up California’ With Bottle-Deposit Law

I am writing to express agreement with your position on AB 2020. I, too, am in favor of the passage of this bill which will require refundable deposits on beer and soda containers.

I realize that this law will bring about additional costs as well as benefits. The bottle law may be more of a burden to the stores that will have to accept and find storage space for the returned beverage containers. The price of bottled and canned drinks will also go up to include the amount of the deposit.

I feel, however, that the benefits of this law will outweigh the costs. AB 2020 will provide the people with incentive to return their empty bottles and cans in order to receive their refundable deposit, thus lessening the number of containers seen littering our beaches, parks, streets, and highways. Perhaps, in the long run, the state may be able to cut back on the amount of money spent to pay Caltrans workers to pick up the rubbish.

Pollution in our state is a problem that I think we should no longer push aside. We Californians must decide whether or not the cleanliness of our state is worth the extra effort that this law will entail. I believe it is. Since the bottle law has worked so well in the nine states that have employed it, I feel that it also has a good chance of being successful in California. But we will never know unless we give it a try.

SUSAN SERDARUSICH

Temple City