Bulletin Bottle

Massachusetts’ bottle bill currently requires deposits only on soda and beer bottles and cans. However, lawmakers are trying to expand the 5-cent deposit to also include sport drink and bottled water bottles, as well as other beverage containers.

Almost half of the cities and towns in Massachusetts have passed resolutions supporting the expansion and a recent poll found that 77 percent of the public supports it.

About 80 percent of soda and other containers covered under the existing bottle deposit law are redeemed or recycled but only an estimated 22 percent of other uncovered bottles are recycled. The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection said municipalities could save a combined $7 million a year in avoided trash costs under expected improvements in recycling.

The bill would also re-establish a Clean Environment Fund so that unreturned deposit money can be set aside for recycling and environmental projects and boost a fee that beverage distributors pay to bottle redemption centers.

Every week we pick two of our water bottles and have our staff members put them through the wringer. We’ll comment on the outcomes here (and encourage our clients to do the same!). This week, we’ve chosen our Velocity Sport Bottle and our two Wave bottles: Large Wave Water Bottle and Small Wave Water Bottle.

The Velocity Sport Bottle is great. Our staff has seen it for sale and in use all over the place. It’s a popular design that was well liked by our tester. She really liked the drinking spout (and locking lid) and the overall size of the bottle. The lid stayed locked, but at the same time it was easy to open on the go. What she didn’t like about this bottle is the lid composition. She said it seemed a little flimsy—but she also worked it hard during testing and didn’t have any problems with it.

Our Small Wave Water Bottle and Large Wave Water Bottle share a simple design, with some nice touches. Our tester liked the angled finger hole on the bottles. She also liked the rubber accents on the lid—she thought it makes the bottles feel substantial and more expensive. The lids screwed on easily and tightly. She did feel like the bottle lips were a little awkward, as though they didn’t curve down on themselves enough. She also noticed a very faint metal smell the first time she used the bottles. This is somewhat common with all stainless steel bottles, though.

Disposable Drink Bottles: MA Considers Expanding Bill

Bulletin Bottle Staff Reviews: Velocity Sport Bottle and Wave Bottles