10-Cent Deposit On Water, Gatorade Bottles May Be Going To Ballot

(Source: MIRS.news, Published 03/18/025) The Michigan Environmental Council is seeking a campaign manager to run a November 2026 campaign revamping Michigan's “Bottle Bill,” which currently requires a 10-cent deposit on most carbonated beverages, such as beer, Coke and other soft drinks.

The tentative plan would expand the 10-cent deposit to water, sports drinks and more. “Universal redemption” is also part of this plan, meaning any store that sells beverages would need to give the customer a dime back for the container as opposed to returning it to the store where the purchase was made.

“While the original 1978 law was a game-changer, it hasn’t kept up with the times,” the MEC's Trent Wolf said. "Redemption rates have dropped, and too many containers – like water bottles, sports drinks, and juices – aren’t included.

“We’re in the process of engaging the many stakeholders involved with the bottle return process to craft a Better Bottle Bill that we can take to the legislature that would expand container coverage, make returning universal and easy for consumers, build transparency in the system, and fund investments in recycling infrastructure.”