Beverage Container Deposit Cost/Benefit Analysis Released

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has released a new study that projects a 10-cent refundable deposit on recyclable beverage containers would boost recycling and result in a net gain of over 1,000 jobs.  The MPCA developed the cost-benefit analysis at the request of the Minnesota Legislature.  It found the refundable deposit would cost beverage producers $29-million dollars a year, and could cost consumers $74-million dollars for the containers they fail to return for recycling.   About 45-percent of Minnesota’s beverage containers are currently being recycled, and the report projects that would increase to around 85-percent with a 10-cent deposit.