Cash for empties works in Oregon

When Oregon enacted the nation’s first bottle bill in 1971, it was intended to reduce litter on the state’s beaches, along roads, and in parks. It was a cleanup, not a recycling program.

Today, the focus is recycling empty beer, pop, juice, and water containers and it is working very well, in large part because it pays people to recycle.

Collect the “empties” and earn a dime for each plastic bottl...