Members of the D.C. Council convened a roundtable hearing Thursday to examine a proposal that would add a 10-cent deposit to each beverage container sold in the District, returning the fee to consumers when bottles and cans are brought back for recycling. The measure, known as the Recycling Refund and Litter Reduction Amendment Act of 2025, is pitched by supporters as a way to curb plastic pollution in streets and waterways and to create modest earnings opportunities for people who collect discarded containers.
Supporters emphasize environmental gains, opponents cite economic pain
Backers of the bill told councilmembers the deposit system would reduce the number of bottles that end up littering the District and clogging rivers. Sponsors have proposed having the program administered by a nonprofit to minimize direct costs to the District government, and they have amended the bill to address concerns raised by local producers.
“Six hundred seventeen million bottles and cans per year are distributed and sold in the District, and we are paying for each and every one,”
said the bill’s lead sponsor, Ward 1 Councilmember Brianne Nadeau, who argued the beverage industry should bear cleanup costs rather than residents.
Business groups and some small business owners pushed back. Representatives of the District of Columbia Beverage Alcohol Wholesalers presented a study they said shows the deposit would translate into roughly $60 million in added consumer costs annually. Local brewers expressed concern about tighter margins and the logistics of compliance.
“I haven’t paid myself in two months. I cannot pay (for) another government program,”
said Thor Chester, co-owner of Right Proper Brewing Company, testifying that his business could not absorb further expenses.
How supporters say the bill would work
- Each sold beverage container would carry a 10-cent deposit.
- Consumers would receive the deposit back when returning containers for recycling.
- Administration of the program would be handled by a nonprofit organization, according to sponsors.
Council Chair of the Committee on Transportation and the Environment, Ward 6 Councilmember Charles Allen, led the discussion. Both Allen and Nadeau said changes made to the legislation seek to shield in-District brewers and retailers from bearing undue costs.
| Item | Figure cited at hearing |
|---|---|
| Annual containers distributed in D.C. | 617,000,000 |
| Estimated annual consumer cost increase (industry study) | $60,000,000 |
Next steps and local context
Councilmembers did not vote on the measure at the roundtable; the session served to gather testimony and probe the competing economic and environmental claims. Ten states currently operate deposit-return systems, a fact cited by supporters as evidence that the policy can boost recycling rates. Opponents focused their remarks on the study supplied by industry stakeholders and the potential impact on distributors and small producers in the District.
As debate continues, residents and businesses can monitor committee schedules and proposed amendments on the D.C. Council’s website for updates on when the bill will return for further consideration or a vote.
This report reflects testimony and figures presented at the Thursday roundtable led by the Committee on Transportation and the Environment.
