Eleven states in the US currently have container deposit legislation and their return rates are high. States that take water bottles for 5 cents have a 70% return rate. In Michigan where the deposit is 10 cents, there is a 97% return rate. Bottled water companies push curbside recycling because they benefit from it in the end. However, if we consider the economy and environment then federal container deposit legislation makes sense. This legislation would yield long and short term benefits for humans and Earth. Even though bottled water companies push recycling, 50% of Americans do not even have curbside recycling yet. It is pertinent for the future of Earth that the US makes this change now from curbside recycling to container deposit on a national level.
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