Big Crowd Gathers at State House Calling for House Passage of the Updated Bottle Bill

Media Contacts

MASSPIRG

State House, Boston—In the wake of the state Senate’s passage of the Updated Bottle Bill last week, and with Governor Patrick a huge champion, supporters gathered today to call on Speaker Robert DeLeo and the House of Representatives to finally pass the Update after 14 years.

In a poll conducted by MassInc Polling Group last year, 77% of the public supports the bill. In addition, 208 cities and towns have passed resolutions in support of the measure, 350 small businesses have endorsed, and neighboring states Maine, Connecticut and New York have already enacted an update.

“In the spirit of the Olympics, let’s get the updated over the finish line,” quipped Janet Domenitz, Executive Director of MASSPIRG.
 
Environment and Energy Secretary Rick Sullivan, House sponsor Alice Wolf, Comedian and Activist Jimmy Tingle and over 20 legislators attended the event and voiced strong support of the measure’s passage.

Secretary Sullivan predicted that an update to the bottle bill will “double the recycling” in the Commonwealth.

Members of the House who attended and helped launch the House effort to pass the bill  included Representatives Marty Walz, Gloria Fox, Kay Kahn, Jonathan Hecht, Tim Madden, Chris Walsh, Rhonda Nyman, Frank Smizik, Denise Provost, Carl Sciortino, Tom Sannicandro, Tricia Farley-Bouvier, Sarah Peake, James Cantwell, and Gail Cariddi.

Showing strong evidence that the Bottle Bill’s time has come, Jimmy Tingle said, “this bill has been in committee for 14 years. It took less time to build the Big Dig!”