Wegmans predicts 30 percent jump in volume

Tom Tobin writes in today’s Democrat and Cronicle - “Local supermarkets and convenience stores say they’re preparing for a major increase in the volume of plastic bottles redeemed when a new state law adds water drinks to the recycling stream.

The law sweetens the handling costs that retailers may recover when the containers are redeemed. But questions remain whether that will be enough to compensate for the higher volume and other related costs.

“Our systems are in place, I think,” said Dave Breen, owner of Herrema’s Food Market in Irondequoit. “What bothers me most about this is we’re taking in people’s garbage at the grocery store. Curbside recycling is the answer.”

A federal judge next month is expected to lift an injunction against adding bottled water to the 5-cent deposit law that now covers carbonated beverages, wine coolers and beer. A hearing is scheduled Oct. 22 to hear arguments from the bottled-water industry that some small companies are not ready for the change. But retailers in this region are getting ready for the most significant increase in the flow of redeemable products in years.”

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