Texas needs a deposit refund system for beverage containers

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

A new Texas A&M University study confirms what industry leaders are warning: U.S. recycling is too dependent on volatile imports. Even small tariff changes cause wild swings in supply. That leaves families, businesses, and recyclers paying the price.

Recent shifts in global trade are sending shockwaves through America’s supply chains. Tariffs on plastics, now including PET resin, the material used to make water and soda bottles, have added uncertainty and cost to an already unstable marketplace.

For consumers, that means higher prices at the grocery store. For U.S. manufacturers, it means unpredictable access to the recycled materials they need. For Texas communities, it means more bottles and cans ending up in rivers, storm drains, and along highways instead of being put back to work in our economy.

The good news? Texas can fix this. By adopting a deposit refund system for beverage containers, we can:

• Keep billions of bottles and cans in circulation, not in landfills • Build a stable, homegrown supply of recycled materials for Texas manufacturers

• Cut litter and protect our rivers and Gulf Coast Together, we can make Texas a leader in clean water and strong supply chains.

Sincerely, Joe Trotter Texans For Clean Water