The solution here is simple: Fines

Fine every store not in compliance, and I guarantee they'll start accepting water bottles tomorrow.

I've wrestled with the Safeway machines at 39th and Powell. Frankly, I'd be up for just taking the bottles out to Clackamas and "deposting" them at Mr. Floyd's office.

But that would be wrong ...

I have to agree with the grocers to a certain extent. I think the OLCC is way out of line with it's threats of license suspensions and citations. And I can't believe the OLCC is the agency that enforces the bottle bill...The OLCC is the most unneeded, wasteful, stupid state agency around!

I bet we see the grocers start to push back, maybe they even bankroll putting the whole bottle bill on the ballot. I for one would be more than happy to vote to get rid of the bottle bill. Being able to recycle plastic bottles, glass, and cans is so easy and accessible these days.

The other thing I could see is taking the deposit refund business out of the grocers hands and opening redemption centers. I have always thought it was an unfair burden to force grocers to deal with the deposits. And no, I don't work in the industry.

Westside Guy: I thikn that the latest changes in the bottle bill do allow redemption centers, someone just has to step forward and build them... (And maintain them.)

If we're going to do this, we ought to do it right. The problem is that greasy corporate lobbyists like Dan Floyd have legislators like Ginny Burdick in their back pocket. So you get some goofball hash that makes no sense -- a longstanding Salem tradition.

It has been a grand total of 9 days, so I think grocers are due some kind of break.

This is an ongoing issue with govt trying to justify their existence by making more and more laws. As an example, you used to be able to get a building premit fairly quickly. Now with new and different rules being added daily, it takes forever to get things approved at BDS.

The new law has been on the books for many months -- at least six. Safeway had plenty of time to figure it out. But it didn't, because it hates the bottle bill, would rather see it go away than work, and could care less about its customers.

I used to save all my returnable cans and bottles for various youth groups that would come by to pick them up. Have not had anyone come by asking in over 2 years. I think they were having as much frustration cashing them in as the rest of us. I leave them now near places where those that can use the extra cash can find them, hoping I don't get pinched for littering.

I bought some bottled water at Trader Joe's a couple of days ago (yes, I know but I like water with electrolytes added) and those bottles were not tagged for the deposit. Nor was I asked to pay one.

But I think dumping water is ridiculous. Give everybody a month to clear out old inventory and start enforcing in February.

That's funny Gibby because I've been leaving mine in your yard.

School sports teams will take them.

As for the water bottles?

How special is it that the OLCC has a new task? Adding busy work instead of getting rid of the agency altogether.

Next thing we'll here is the DEQ will be testing lawn mowers and other gas powered tools instaed of closing the uneeded vehicle test centers.

Now that you mention it, DEQ should be policing the bottle return operations. Just like field burning and the Ag Department -- stop having the fox guard the henhouse.

Thanks Ben, next time I "here" you in my yard I will try to say hello "instaed" of ignoring you.

Thanks Gibby.
BFF

Does anyone see the weirdness in the the State ordering stores to throw away bottles (filled with precious resources) just so they can satisfy the letter of law, but violate the spirit of the law ... ?

Welcome to Oregon: Where being green is mostly show.

Zzzzz. They had six months or more to sell off the old inventory.

Stores have the option of adding stickers to bottles without the deposit printed on the labels, do they not?

If store are really throwing out perfectly good stock for lack of a 5c sticker, maybe they are the ones overreacting for the sake of publicity.

I welcome this addition to the bottle bill as plastic bottles are significantly less loud when ushered around in a shopping cart.

Go by shopping cart!!!

At least Safeway said they were going to ship the non-labeled bottles to their stores in Washington since there is no deposit requirement there. Seems like a good idea. Or they could donate the bottles to some charity...