CHARLESTON -- Two bills in the Legislature could mandate West Virginia residents to put down a 10 cent deposit on beverages that come in metal, plastic or glass containers.

Both houses of the Legislature have introduced bills that aim to establish a returnable beverage container deposit program. According to the Senate's bill, the ultimate aim for the program is to increase the efforts to recycle beverage containers and reduce litter throughout the state.

The bill requires the implementation of a 10 cent deposit for beverage containers which contain one gallon or less of a beverage. Consumers would get back the 10 cent deposit when they returned the containers to a redemption center that will be determined by the state Department of Environmental Protection.

According to the bill's sponsor, Sen. Randy White, D-Webster, the bill has a long history in the Legislature. Over the years, concerns have been raised that the bill would make it difficult for shop owners to store the bottles.

"We plan to work with the retail industries to relieve the burden of storing used containers," White said. "We're going to come up with solutions that benefit everyone."

Another sponsor of the bill, Sen. Dan Foster, D-Kanawha, said the chance of it passing both houses is "up in the air." Foster said they are still trying to reduce concerns from small business owners and make refinements to the bill.

Since the bill aims to lessen litter, recycle containers and bring in money from unredeemed containers, Foster said he is surprised it has not been passed during previous sessions.

"(With the passage of the bill) we can receive additional money from unredeemed containers and use the money to stimulate new environmental programs and small businesses dedicated to recycling," Foster said. "There is a potential for the creation of small businesses and jobs for the state."

In a Joint Judiciary Committee Meeting last week, John Ferrari, president of NexCycle, said the bill would inspire his firm to set up a recycling center in the state. The California company was created in 1987 in response to the passage of the Beverage Container Recycling and Litter Reduction Act in 1986. NexCycle has more than 300 locations throughout California and aims to support both independent and chain grocery stores affected by the legislation.

The Senate bill has been referred to the Senate Judiciary and Finance committees and the House bill has been referred to the House Judiciary Committee.

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