WUSA9: Proposed "bottle bill" could lead to the recycling of more than 500 million bottles and cans in District

From WUSA9:

Councilmember Brianne Nadeau introduced the 'Recycling Refund and Litter Reduction Amendment Act of 2025', also known as “The Bottle Bill”. 

If passed, Nadeau said the bill would make a significant impact in the District's recycling ecosystem 

Nadeau said plastic bottles alone account for 60% of the weight of all trash in the Anacostia River.

“That makes our streets less appealing. It harms our fish and wildlife and hurts the Chesapeake Bay with over 3,600 species and plants.” Nadeau, said. 

Nadeau believes the new proposed “bottle bill” will drastically reduce litter in streets, parks and rivers. She said states with deposit return laws have shown to reduced litter by 69 to 84%.