Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection

Emergency Burn Ban In Effect 10/26/24 - An emergency burn ban is now in effect for all Connecticut State Parks, Forests, and Wildlife Management areas, prohibiting the use of all outdoor grills, firepits, and campfires, and the kindling and use of flame outdoors. DEEP and local agencies are working to contain several active fires across the state. Please avoid all affected State Parks and Forests, as well as the blue-blazed Mattabesett Trail. The Enduro Trail in Voluntown and portions of North Stonington within the Pachaug State Forest are closed at this time. Please note that today's forest fire danger report remains at an 'extreme' level. More information about the current fire danger, burn ban and recommended safety measures can be found here


The Connecticut Bottle Bill

Updated list of covered beverages as of Jan. 1, 2024

On August 2, 2022 Commissioner Dykes released an Order in light of the upcoming changes to the bottle bill statute, including the expansion to new types of covered beverages on January 1, 2023 and the increase in the deposit from $0.05 to $0.10 beginning January 1, 2024. The Order would allow for the use of the words "Redemption Value" or the abbreviation "CTRV" on labels to signify that they can be redeemed for $0.05 prior to January 1, 2024 and $0.10 beginning on January 1, 2024. The purpose of the Order is to minimize disruption to product distribution and avoid any potential supply chain disruptions that could harm consumers. 

NEW: Bottle Bill Stakeholder Process

Effective immediately, all Exemption Applications shall be submitted for review by email to Laura.Pointek@ct.gov. See Manufacturer's Information below.

Connecticut is one of 10 states in the U.S. that are "bottle bill" states. Bottle bills, also known as container redemption programs, may have slightly different provisions in each state, but essentially they work by charging a small deposit on a container at the time of purchase which is then returned to the consumer when the empty bottle is returned. Below please find more resources and information about the Connecticut bottle bill and container redemption programs in general.

General Information
(FAQ's) about the Connecticut Bottle Bill and its recent changes
Beverage Container Redemption Center Registration Form
Effective immediately, all Redemption Center Registration Forms shall be submitted for review by email to Laura.Pointek@ct.gov

Connecticut Regulations for Bottle Bill Deposit and Redemption
Summary of Connecticut Bottle Bill Legislation
Manufacturer's Information


The Department will accept Exemption Applications for the next calendar year between October 1st and November 1st. 

The only exception to Exemption Application submittals after November 1st is for a new manufacturer who started bottling/selling noncarbonated beverages after November 1st. State whether you are a NEW manufacturer in Parts I and III of the Exemption Application form.

Exemption Application Word, PDF 


You must complete the ENTIRE form, otherwise your form cannot be processed and your exemption cannot be approved.

 

Effective immediately, all Manufacturer Exemption Applications shall be submitted for review by email to Laura.Pointek@ct.gov.

Container Redemption Resources

Bottle Bill Redemption Rate:

Bottle Bill Resource Guide by the Container Recycling Institute

The Container Recycling Institute, studies and promotes policies and programs that increase recovery and recycling of beverage containers and shift the social and environmental costs associated with manufacturing, recycling, and disposal of container and packaging waste from government and taxpayers to producers and consumers.

Bottle Bill Myths and Facts - the Container Recycling Institute  

Beverage Container Resources

Life Cycle Assessment of Drinking Water Delivery Systems: Bottled Water, Tap Water and Home/Office Delivery Water a study by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality that shows that tap water is a far better environmental choice than recycling single-use bottles.

Makers of Reverse Vending Machines

Olyns:  You can read more about the machines at this link.

Tomra

Environmental Products Corporation (ENVIPCO)

For More Information

For general questions, complaints regarding non-compliance, or for information concerning redemption center registration, please contact Laura.Pointek@ct.gov.

Disclaimer: The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) maintains the content on this web site to enhance public access to information and facilitate understanding of waste reduction, reuse and recycling. The department is not recommending these resources over any others and recognizes these represent only a partial listing of resources on this subject.

Content Last Updated August 2024.