Bill would expand Michigan’s bottle deposit law while some want to abolish it

Conan Smith is president of the Michigan Environmental Council. MICHIGAN ENVIRONMENTAL COUNCIL
Conan Smith is president of the Michigan Environmental Council. MICHIGAN ENVIRONMENTAL COUNCIL

LANSING

Sen. Sean McCann, D-Kalamazoo, is the sponsor of legislation to extend the state’s bottle deposit law, including adding containers of noncarbonated beverages, water and hard cider.

Voters overwhelmingly passed the 10-cent-per-container law in 1976, and McCann’s bill would authorize putting the proposed expansion on the state ballot in November.

However, the Midwest Independent Retailers Assoc…