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Connecticut moves to crack down on bottle redemption fraud
The bill increases fines up to $2,000, limits daily redemptions to 4,000, and mandates licensing and recordkeeping to combat $11.3 million in distributor losses, officials said.
- On Wednesday, the Connecticut Legislature passed Senate Bill 299 35 to 1, expected to clear the House and go to Gov. Ned Lamont.
- After Connecticut raised its bottle deposit to 10 cents in 2024, officials say out-of-state returns surged, causing distributors to cover $11.3 million losses including Star Distributors' more than $2 million.
- The bill would increase first- and third-offense fines, require redemption centers licensed by the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection to keep records over 1,000, and lower the daily limit to 4,000.
- Local police would be empowered to pursue out-of-state violators, but redemption center owners warned that the $2,500 annual licensing fee and volume caps threaten small operators.
- Officials say there's no way to track which of roughly 2 billion containers redeemed last year were from out of state, citing technological challenges and pushback on Connecticut-specific barcode labeling.
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Associated Press News+5 Reposted by 5 other sources
Connecticut moves to crack down on bottle redemption fraud
It’s a scheme made famous by a nearly 30-year-old episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. Hoping to earn a quick buck, two characters load a mail truck full of soda bottles and beer cans purchased with a redeemable 5-cent deposit in New York, before traveling to Michigan, where they can be recycled for 10 cents apiece.
·United States
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Lawmakers move to crack down on out-of-state bottle deposit fraud
Connecticut lawmakers are considering legislation to raise fines on out-of-state residents who cross into Connecticut to redeem bottle and can deposits, a practice officials say is costing the state and businesses millions of dollars.
·Connecticut, United States
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources9
Leaning Left2Leaning Right2Center3Last UpdatedBias Distribution43% Center
Bias Distribution
- 43% of the sources are Center
43% Center
L 29%
C 43%
R 28%
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