March 3, 2022 3:20 a.m.

On Wednesday, the Oregon Senate passed Senate Bill 1520 on a vote of 23 to 4.

A release from Oregon Senate Democrats said the legislation makes program improvements to increase redemption rates, includes a new category of redeemable beverage packaging and enhances reporting requirements to the legislature.

Senator Michael Dembrow said, “Oregon’s Bottle Bill has remained the gold standard precisely because it has been updated and improved over the years”. Dembrow said the legislation makes important and timely changes to the landmark Bottle Bill program. Dembrow said, “By passing Senate Bill 1520 today, we are affirming Oregon’s legacy of leadership in environmental conservation and sustainability”.

The release said the original Bottle Bill legislation was enacted in 1971 and is the nation’s longest-standing beverage container deposit law. The program has undergone many updates over the years to increase recycling, including redemption centers, bottle drops and the green and blue bag program.

Under the measure, wine packaged in cans will also be included in the deposit program starting July 1st of 2025.

Senate Bill 1520 now goes to the House of Representative.