Massachusetts | Provision for Recycling of Beverage Containers

The state of Massachusetts introduced their bottle bill in 1983, with the Provisions for Recycling of Beverage Containers. According to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, the bill was initially introduced to reduce litter and conserve natural resources in the state. Similar to other bottle bills in the United States, the bottle bill for Massachusetts has undergone a handful of amendments since 1983, including in 2003, 2010, and more. See the full change history here.

What’s Included?

According to Mass.gov, the Massachusetts bottle bill covers and exempts the following:

Beverages Covered: carbonated soft drinks and sodas, beer and malt beverages, and sparkling and mineral water.

Containers Covered: sealable cans, jars, and bottles made of metal, plastic, glass, or a mix of materials that are less than two gallons. 

Exemptions: wine, dairy, and milk products, natural fruit juices, non-carbonated drinks, all alcoholic beverages other than beer. The legislation also excludes containers labeled as “biodegradables.”

What’s the Refund Value?

The refund value for Massachusetts’s bottle bill is five cents USD for all covered beverages.

Impact of DRS in Massachusetts

Similar to Hawaii and Vermont, when compared to other states with bottle bills, the recycling rates in Massachusetts for PET, aluminum, and glass are average. When compared to the national averages, Massachusetts shows the impact of DRS schemes.

Massachusetts’s PET recycling rate for 2018 of 31% is 11.96% higher than the national average (19.04%). 

Massachusetts’s aluminum recycling rate for 2018 of 74% is 42.72% higher than the national average (31.28%). 

Massachusetts’s glass recycling rate for 2018 of 57% is 31.14% higher than the national average (25.86%). 

*data from 50 States of Recycling 2.0 by Ball Corporation & Eunomia

Read more on Massachusetts’s bottle bill here.

Read about the bottle bills in the nine other US states here.