109 Iowa L. Rev. 2245 (2024)
Abstract
Iowa’s bottle bill needs major reform. For years the bottle deposit system made Iowans happy while also keeping land across the state litter-free. However, the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated deep cracks that formed in the system over years of neglect. With no signs of improvement, dealers and distributors alike began blatantly breaking the law without any repercussions, leaving citizens with few options for container returns. The Iowa Legislature passed a modest reform in the spring of 2022, but the changes it implemented only exacerbate the problem by allowing grocery stores to opt out of accepting returns, making these returns more burdensome. The changes have made returning containers for consumers more difficult while failing to offer real solutions to the problems faced. By borrowing ideas from other states’ bottle bills, (such as increased deposit prices, expanded container eligibility, and requiring redemption by grocers with penalties included) Iowa can save the bottle bill and continue to promote the law’s ultimate goal: to protect the environment.