New York State Assembly Standing Committee on the Judiciary Bottle Bill Files

Records in this series relate to the passage and implementation of the mandatory bottle deposit bill, or "bottle bill," signed as Chapter 200 of the Laws of 1982. The bill, implemented over several years, mandated a five cent deposit on all plastic, glass, and aluminum bottles used as containers for beer or soft drinks, redeemable by consumers when the bottle was presented at a recycling station. This legislation was touted by supporters as an important step towards both reducing litter and encouraging environmental action by the public.

The records were collected by Oliver G. Koppell, the primary sponsor of the legislation in the Assembly. They consist primarily of reports analyzing the bill and its effects before and after passage, from state agencies, private industries (chiefly bottling, food and drink, and liquor merchants), as well as studies of similar bills in other states and at the federal level. Correspondence with the governor, legislators, agencies, municipalities, and businesses, as well as newspaper clippings detailing the public view of the issue over time, are also included.

There are no restrictions regarding access to or use of this material.