Families

This price increase would disproportionately hurt working families and low-income residents least capable of paying it. The proposal includes automatic annual increases to the deposit, putting even more financial pressure on people struggling to afford increased prices on their groceries.

D.C. Taxpayers

Millions of empty containers from surrounding states—none of which have bottle/can deposit programs—could be redeemed in D.C., even though no deposit was ever paid. This would cost millions in fraudulent refunds and fees paid, hurting small businesses and the city.

It’s important that we take steps to improve recycling and protect our environment. But this cannot come on the backs of hardworking families and local businesses who are already struggling to afford living and working in the District.

Small Businesses

Small businesses have been hit hard by inflation and decreased customer traffic that followed the pandemic. They would be forced to absorb some of the costs of this program and could lose sales to Virginia and Maryland, which do not add deposits to their beverages. This loss is sales  cuts into the already tight profit margins. That risks employee jobs and job hours.