State of Illinois
92nd General Assembly
Legislation

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92_HB3678

 
                                               LRB9209492LBgc

 1        An Act concerning recycling.

 2        Be  it  enacted  by  the People of the State of Illinois,
 3    represented in the General Assembly:

 4        Section 1.  Short title.  This Act may be  cited  as  the
 5    Container Fee and Deposit Act.

 6        Section  5.  Definitions.   As  used  in  this  Act,  the
 7    following terms shall have the meanings indicated, unless the
 8    context otherwise requires:
 9        "Agency"  means  the  Illinois  Environmental  Protection
10    Agency.
11        "Beverage"  means  wine,  alcoholic  liquor,  or  beer as
12    defined in the Liquor Control Act of 1934, or mineral  water,
13    tea,  coffee,  soda  water or similar carbonated soft drinks,
14    juice, or other drinks in liquid form and intended for  human
15    consumption.
16        "Beverage  container"  means  any glass, plastic, plastic
17    coated paper, aluminum, or other metal can, bottle,  jar,  or
18    carton  in which the contents have been sealed by the bottler
19    or manufacturer.
20        "Consumer" means a person who  purchases  or  acquires  a
21    beverage in a beverage container for use of its contents.
22        "Dealer"  means  a  person  who  engages  in  the sale of
23    beverages in beverage containers to a consumer, including  an
24    operator  of  a  vending machine containing containers.  This
25    term does not include a person who sells or offers  for  sale
26    containers,   the   contents   of   which  are  intended  for
27    consumption on the premises, nor  a  common  carrier  in  the
28    conduct of interstate passenger service who sells, offers for
29    sale,  or  distributes  to  its  passengers  containers,  the
30    contents  of  which  are  for  consumption  on  the carrier's
31    premises or vehicles.
 
                            -2-                LRB9209492LBgc
 1        "Dealer agent" means a person who solicits  or  picks  up
 2    empty  beverage  containers  from a dealer for the purpose of
 3    returning the empty beverage containers to a  distributor  or
 4    manufacturer.
 5        "Department"   means   the  Department  of  Commerce  and
 6    Community Affairs.
 7        "Director" means the Director of Commerce  and  Community
 8    Affairs.
 9        "Distributor"  means  a person who engages in the sale of
10    beverages in beverage containers to a dealer in  this  State,
11    including a manufacturer who engages in such sales.
12        "Geographic territory" means the geographical area within
13    a  perimeter  formed  by the outermost boundaries of the area
14    served by a distributor.
15        "Manufacturer" means  a  person  who  bottles,  cans,  or
16    otherwise  fills beverage containers for sale to distributors
17    or dealers.
18        "Nonrefillable  beverage  container"  means  a   beverage
19    container  which,  after  being  used  by  a consumer, is not
20    intended to be refilled for sale by a manufacturer.
21        "Redemption center" means a business  at which  consumers
22    may  return empty beverage containers and receive payment for
23    the refund value of the empty beverage containers.

24        Section 10.  Refund values.
25        (a)  A deposit of not less than 5 cents shall be paid  by
26    the consumer on each beverage container sold in this State by
27    a dealer for consumption off the premises. Upon the return to
28    a dealer or person operating a redemption center of the empty
29    beverage  container  upon  which  a deposit has been paid and
30    acceptance of the empty beverage container by the  dealer  or
31    person  operating  a  redemption center, the dealer or person
32    operating a redemption center shall pay  the  amount  of  the
33    refund value to the consumer.
 
                            -3-                LRB9209492LBgc
 1        (b)  In   addition   to  the  refund  value  provided  in
 2    subsection (a), a dealer, dealer agent, or person operating a
 3    redemption center who redeems empty beverage containers shall
 4    be reimbursed by the distributor required to accept the empty
 5    beverage containers an amount which is 1 cent per  container.
 6    A  dealer,  dealer  agent,  or  person operating a redemption
 7    center may compact empty metal beverage containers  with  the
 8    approval   of   the   distributor   required  to  accept  the
 9    containers.

10        Section  15.  Payment  of   refund   value;   notice   to
11    consumers.   Except as provided in Section 20:
12        (1)  A  dealer shall not refuse to accept from a consumer
13    any empty beverage container of the  kind,  size,  and  brand
14    sold  by  the  dealer  or  refuse  to pay to the consumer the
15    refund value of a beverage container as stated in Section 10,
16    provided that the container is returned to the dealer  in  an
17    empty, unbroken, and reasonably clean state.
18        (2)  A  dealer shall place a sign or shelf label in close
19    proximity to  any  sales  display  of  containers  to  inform
20    consumers  that containers are returnable.  The sign or label
21    shall indicate the  amount  of  deposits  required  for  each
22    container and that the containers are returnable.
23        (3)  An   operator   of  a  vending  machine  that  sells
24    containers shall post a conspicuous  notice  on  the  vending
25    machine  indicating  that  a  refund  is  available  on  each
26    container  purchased  and indicating where and from whom that
27    refund may  be  obtained.   This  Section  does  not  require
28    vending  machine operators to provide refunds at the premises
29    where the vending machines are located.
30        (4)  A dealer may limit the total  number  of  containers
31    that  he or she will accept from one consumer on any business
32    day to 100 containers.   The  dealer  may  refuse  to  accept
33    containers  for  a period of not more than 3 hours during any
 
                            -4-                LRB9209492LBgc
 1    business day, provided that the hours during which containers
 2    will not be  accepted are conspicuously posted.
 3        (5)  A distributor shall accept and  pick  up  all  empty
 4    beverage  containers of the kind, size, and brand sold by the
 5    distributor from all dealers served by  the  distributor  and
 6    from  all  redemption  centers  for  a  dealer  served by the
 7    distributor at least weekly.  If the distributor delivers the
 8    beverage  product  less  frequently  than  weekly,  then  the
 9    distributor shall accept  and  pick  up  any  empty  beverage
10    container   of   the  kind,  size,  and  brand  sold  by  the
11    distributor at the time of  the  delivery.   The  distributor
12    shall  pay  to  the  dealer  or person operating a redemption
13    center the refund value  of  a  beverage  container  and  the
14    reimbursement as provided under Section 10 of this Act within
15    one  week  following  pickup  of  the  containers or when the
16    dealer or redemption center normally pays the distributor for
17    the  deposit  on  beverage  products   purchased   from   the
18    distributor if less frequent than weekly. A distributor or an
19    employee  or  agent  of  a distributor is not in violation of
20    this subsection if a redemption center  is  closed  when  the
21    distributor  attempts to make a regular delivery or a regular
22    pickup of empty beverage containers.
23        (6)  A distributor shall accept from a dealer  agent  any
24    empty beverage container of the kind, size, and brand sold by
25    the distributor that was picked up by the dealer agent from a
26    dealer   within   the  geographic  territory  served  by  the
27    distributor.  The distributor shall pay the dealer agent  the
28    refund   value  of  the  empty  beverage  container  and  the
29    reimbursement as provided in Section 10.
30        (7)  The Department  shall  adopt  rules  regulating  the
31    recycling  and  disposal  of  empty beverage containers.  The
32    rules shall give priority to the recycling of empty  beverage
33    containers to the extent possible.
 
                            -5-                LRB9209492LBgc
 1        Section 20.  Refusal to accept containers.
 2        (a)  A  dealer,  person  operating  a  redemption center,
 3    distributor, or manufacturer may refuse to accept  any  empty
 4    beverage  container  that does not have stated on it a refund
 5    value as provided under Section 25.
 6        (b)  A dealer may refuse to accept any type of  container
 7    that  has  not  been  sold  by that dealer within the past 60
 8    days.
 9        (c)  A dealer may refuse to accept and to pay the  refund
10    value  of  any  empty  beverage  container  if  the  place of
11    business of the dealer  and  the  kind  and  brand  of  empty
12    beverage   containers   are  included  in  an  order  of  the
13    Department approving a redemption center under Section 30.
14        (d)  An owner or operator of an establishment  who  sells
15    beverages  for consumption only on the premises may refuse to
16    accept and to pay the refund  value  on  an  empty  alcoholic
17    liquor container except from a consumer who has purchased and
18    consumed the beverage at that establishment.
19        (e)  A  manufacturer  or distributor may refuse to accept
20    and to pay the refund value and reimbursement as provided  in
21    Section 20 on any empty beverage container that was picked up
22    by  a  dealer  agent  from  a  dealer  outside the geographic
23    territory served by the manufacturer or distributor.
24        (f)  A distributor may refuse to accept from  any  person
25    who  is  not a dealer a quantity of fewer than 300 containers
26    of the type, size, and brand sold by the distributor.
27        (g)  A distributor shall not be  required  to  pay  to  a
28    manufacturer  a  deposit  or  refund value on a nonrefillable
29    beverage container.

30        Section   25.  Refund   value   stated   on    container;
31    exceptions.
32        (a)  Each  beverage container sold or offered for sale in
33    this State by a dealer shall clearly indicate by embossing or
 
                            -6-                LRB9209492LBgc
 1    by a stamp, label, or other method securely  affixed  to  the
 2    container  the  refund value of the container. The Department
 3    shall specify, by rule, the minimum size of the refund  value
 4    indication on the beverage containers.
 5        (b)  A distributor shall not import into this State after
 6    July  1,  2002  a  beverage  container that does not have the
 7    refund value indication securely affixed to the container.
 8        (c)  A person may not bring beverage containers into this
 9    State after July 1, 2002 that do not have  the  refund  value
10    indication securely affixed unless for each occurrence:
11             (1)  For  beverage  containers  containing alcoholic
12        liquor as defined in the Liquor Control Act of 1934,  the
13        total capacity of the containers is not more than 1 quart
14        or,  in  the case of alcoholic liquor personally obtained
15        outside the United States, 1 gallon.
16             (2)  For  beverage  containers  containing  beer  as
17        defined in the Liquor Control  Act  of  1934,  the  total
18        capacity  of  the  containers  is not more than 288 fluid
19        ounces.
20             (3)  For all other beverage  containers,  the  total
21        capacity  of  the  containers  is not more than 565 fluid
22        ounces.
23        (d)  The provisions of subsections (a), (b), and  (c)  of
24    this  Section  do  not  apply  to a refillable glass beverage
25    container that has a brand name permanently marked on it  and
26    that  has  a  refund  value  of not less than 5 cents, to any
27    other refillable beverage container that has a  refund  value
28    of not less than 5 cents and that is exempted by the Director
29    under  rules  adopted  by  the  Department,  or to a beverage
30    container sold aboard  a  commercial  airliner  or  passenger
31    train for consumption on the premises.

32        Section 30.  Redemption centers.
33        (a)  To   facilitate   the   return   of  empty  beverage
 
                            -7-                LRB9209492LBgc
 1    containers and to serve dealers of beverages, any person  may
 2    establish a redemption center, subject to the approval of the
 3    Department,  at  which  consumers  may  return empty beverage
 4    containers and receive payment of the stated refund value.
 5        (b)  An application for approval of a  redemption  center
 6    shall  be  filed  with  the Department. The application shall
 7    state the name and address of the person responsible for  the
 8    establishment  and  operation  of  the redemption center, the
 9    kind and brand names of the beverage containers that will  be
10    accepted   at  the  redemption  center,  and  the  names  and
11    addresses of the dealers  to  be  served  by  the  redemption
12    center.  The  application shall contain any other information
13    that the Director may reasonably require.
14        (c)  The Department shall approve a redemption center  if
15    it   finds  that  the    redemption  center  will  provide  a
16    convenient service to  consumers  for  the  return  of  empty
17    beverage  containers. The order of the Department approving a
18    redemption center shall state the dealers to be served by the
19    redemption center and the  kind  and  brand  names  of  empty
20    beverage  containers  that the redemption center must accept.
21    The order may contain such other provisions  to  insure  that
22    the  redemption  center  will provide a convenient service to
23    the public as the Director may determine.
24        (d)  The  Department  may  review  the  approval  of  any
25    redemption center at any time. After written  notice  to  the
26    person responsible for the establishment and operation of the
27    redemption   center,   and  to  the  dealers  served  by  the
28    redemption center, the Agency may,  after  hearing,  withdraw
29    approval  of  the redemption center if the Agency finds there
30    has not been compliance with the Department's order approving
31    the redemption center, or if the redemption center no  longer
32    provides a convenient service to the public.
33        (e)  All   approved   redemption   centers   shall   meet
34    applicable health standards.
 
                            -8-                LRB9209492LBgc
 1        Section  35.  Unapproved  redemption centers.  Any person
 2    may establish a redemption center that has not been  approved
 3    by  the  Department,  at  which  a  consumer may return empty
 4    beverage containers and receive payment of the  refund  value
 5    of   the   beverage   containers.  The  establishment  of  an
 6    unapproved redemption center does not relieve a  dealer  from
 7    the responsibility of redeeming any empty beverage containers
 8    of the kind and brand sold by the dealer.

 9        Section  40.  Snap-top  cans  prohibited.  A person shall
10    not sell or offer for sale at retail in this State any  metal
11    beverage container so designed and constructed that a part of
12    the container is detachable in opening the container.

13        Section  45.  Rules.    The  Department shall adopt, upon
14    recommendation of the Director, the rules necessary to  carry
15    out  the provisions of this Act, subject to the provisions of
16    the Administrative Procedure Act.

17        Section 50.  Appeals.  Any person aggrieved by  an  order
18    of  the  Department relating to the approval or withdrawal of
19    approval for a redemption center may seek  judicial review of
20    such order as provided in the Administrative Procedure Act.

21        Section 55.  Penalties.
22        (a)  Any person violating the provisions of  Section  10,
23    15,  20,  or  35,  or  a rule adopted under this Act shall be
24    guilty of a Class C misdemeanor.
25        (b)  A distributor who collects or attempts to collect  a
26    refund   value  on  an  empty  beverage  container  when  the
27    distributor has paid the refund value on the container  to  a
28    dealer,  redemption  center,  or  consumer  is  guilty  of  a
29    business offense.
30        (c)  Any  person  who  does  any of the following acts is
 
                            -9-                LRB9209492LBgc
 1    guilty of a business offense:
 2             (1)  Collects or  attempts  to  collect  the  refund
 3        value  on the container a second time, with the knowledge
 4        that  the  refund  value  has  once  been  paid  by   the
 5        distributor to a dealer, redemption center, or consumer.
 6             (2)  Manufactures,  sells,  possesses,  or applies a
 7        false or counterfeit label or indication  that  shows  or
 8        purports to show a refund value for a beverage container,
 9        with  intent  to  use  the  false or counterfeit label or
10        indication.
11             (3)  Collects or attempts to collect a refund  value
12        on  a  container  with  the use of a false or counterfeit
13        label or indication showing a refund value,  knowing  the
14        label or indication to be false or counterfeit.
15        (d)  As  used  in  this  Section,  a false or counterfeit
16    label or indication means a label or indication purporting to
17    show a valid refund value that has not been initially applied
18    as authorized by a distributor.

19        Section  60.  Distributor   agreements   authorized.    A
20    distributor  may  enter into a contract or agreement with any
21    other distributor, manufacturer, or person for the purpose of
22    collecting or paying the refund value on,  or  disposing  of,
23    beverage containers.

24        Section  65.  Redemption  of  refused nonrefillable metal
25    beverage containers.
26        (a)  If  the  refund  value  indication  required   under
27    Section 25 on an empty nonrefillable metal beverage container
28    is  readable  but the redemption of the container is lawfully
29    refused by a dealer or person operating a redemption  center,
30    the  container shall be accepted and the refund value paid to
31    a consumer as provided in this Section. Each beer distributor
32    selling nonrefillable metal beverage containers in this State
 
                            -10-               LRB9209492LBgc
 1    shall provide individually or  collectively  by  contract  or
 2    agreement  with  a  dealer,  person  operating  a  redemption
 3    center,  or  another  person,  at  least  one facility in the
 4    county seat of each county where refused empty  nonrefillable
 5    metal  beverage  containers  having  a  readable refund value
 6    indication as required by this Act are accepted and redeemed.
 7    In counties having a  population  of  100,000  or  more,  the
 8    number  of  the  facilities  provided  shall  be one for each
 9    100,000 population or a fractional part of that population.
10        (b)  A beer distributor violating this Section is  guilty
11    of a Class C misdemeanor.

12        Section 70.  Plastic cans prohibited.
13        (a)  Beginning  on  the  effective  date  of  this Act, a
14    person shall not manufacture, offer for  sale,  or  sell  any
15    single-serving  beverage  container that is a plastic can nor
16    offer  for  sale  or  sell  any  beverage   packaged   in   a
17    single-serving plastic can. For the purposes of this Section,
18    a  "plastic can" means a beverage container that, in addition
19    to the closure mechanism, is composed of plastic and metal.
20        (b)  A person violating this section is guilty of a Class
21    A misdemeanor.

22        Section 80.  Disposal at  sanitary  landfill  prohibited.
23    Beginning  one year after the effective date of this Act, the
24    final  disposal  of  beverage   containers   by   a   dealer,
25    distributor,  or   manufacturer,  or  a  person  operating  a
26    redemption  center  in  a  sanitary  landfill is  prohibited.
27    Beginning one year after the effective date of this Act,  the
28    final   disposal  of  beverage  containers  used  to  contain
29    alcoholic liquor, as defined in the  Liquor  Control  Act  of
30    1934,  by  a  dealer,  distributor, manufacturer, or a person
31    operating a redemption  center  in  a  sanitary  landfill  is
32    prohibited.
 
                            -11-               LRB9209492LBgc
 1        Section 90.  Nothing in this Act is intended to limit the
 2    municipal or county power granted in the Solid Waste Planning
 3    and  Recycling  Act  to  establish  or operate a recycling or
 4    redemption center.

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