SSB 1160

Under current law, a consumer may return an empty beverage container upon which a refund value has been paid to a dealer or a redemption center. When a distributor collects empty beverage containers from a dealer, dealer agent, or redemption center, the distributor reimburses the dealer, dealer agent, or redemption center the refund value plus a 1-cent handling fee for each empty beverage container. Current law also allows any person to establish a redemption center that serves a dealer if it is approved by the department of natural resources. Any person can also establish an unapproved redemption center. Under this bill, a dealer may choose to not accept beverage containers by providing notice to the department beginning July 1, 2022. The bill raises the handling fee paid by a distributor to cents for each empty beverage container. The bill allows a person to establish a redemption center by providing notice to the department. The bill also requires each beverage container to have a registered universal product code in a format required by the department. The bill creates civil enforcement procedures and penalties for a violation of the provisions of the bill. _____ remove obsolete language, and stylistically and grammatically update the Code chapter. Except as otherwise provided, the bill takes effect upon enactment.