New legislation the D.C. Council is considering would create a 10-cent bottle and can deposit, which supporters say would help protect the Chesapeake Bay and the Potomac and Anacostia rivers.
“D.C. has a significant litter issue. Of particular concern are beverage containers, which end up on the ground and in our waterways by the ton,” said Ward 1 Councilmember Brianne Nadeau.
Nadeau said plastic bottles alone account for 60% of the weight of all trash retrieved from the Anacostia River.
“That makes our streets less appealing, it harms our fish and other wildlife, and it impacts the Chesapeake Bay,” she said.
We've got the news you need to know to start your day. Sign up for the First & 4Most morning newsletter — delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up here.
The Recycling, Refund, and Litter Reduction Amendment Act of 2025 -- or D.C.'s Bottle Bill -- would require a 10-cent deposit on beverage containers as a way to encourage people to return the bottles and cans to be recycled and get their deposit back.
Eleven members of the D.C. Council believe the bill is part of the solution to cleaning up waterways.
“There is little incentive to recycle,” Nadeau said.
Local
Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia local news, events and information
Ten states have some form of a mandatory bottle deposit between 5 and 20 cents, depending on the container’s size.
D.C. implemented a 5-cent bag fee on disposable plastic bags 15 years ago in an effort to clean up the rivers.
“Within a year or two, no longer was the No. 1 trash item -- plastic bags in our waterways and on your curbsides. However, it was replaced by bottles and cans,” Ward 6 Councilmember Charles Allen said.
News4 sends breaking news stories by email. Go here to sign up to get breaking news alerts in your inbox.
Allen expects to hold public hearings on the bottle deposit legislation before it’s brought to a vote later this year.
Maryland and Virginia do not have a bottle deposit, but there is a bill in the Maryland legislature that would create a similar requirement. Maryland Del. Jen Terrasa told News4 both measures could make a huge difference in litter in local waterways.
