MICHELLE WILLARD, Post Staff Writer
Posted: Wednesday, January 6, 2010 3:56 pm

The county’s possible endorsement of a statewide bottle bill will have to wait another month after the Public Works Committee deferred action Tuesday night.

The committee decided to study the issue and decide at its February meeting whether to give the "Tennessee Deposit Beverage Container Recycling Act” its stamp of approval.

“We agree with the concept, but typically agreeing with the concept doesn’t always get you where you want to go,” Commissioner Ron Williams said.

The Tennessee Bottle Bill would place a 5-cent redeemable deposit on all beverage containers excluding beer and liquor.

According to the proposed legislation, the bill will encourage recycling and reduce litter on Tennessee’s roadways. The bill could increase recycling of Tennessee’s annual 4.3 billion bottles by 75 percent.

The proposed law would create the Deposit Beverage Container Fund, which will hold the 5-cent redeemable deposit.

The General Assembly Fiscal Review Committee estimates the fund would only cost $2 million to implement, but could increase state revenue by more than $8 million in the first year alone.

That is if bottles are redeemed at a rate of 68 percent, because unclaimed bottle deposits will support the fund.

County litter grants and programs will be funded out of the surplus and the taxes used the support such programs will no longer be collected.

Ten other Tennessee counties have endorsed the bill and Rutherford County will get a shot at it at the next regular Rutherford County Commission meeting.

Michelle Willard can be contacted at 615-869-0816 or mwillard@murfreesboropost.com.