Michigan is debating whether to expand its 32-year-pld bottle deposit law to water and other non-carbonated drinks, in a legislative battle that is pitting environmentalists against both beverage bottles and retailers.

Michigan is debating whether to expand its 32-year-old bottle deposit law to water and other non-carbonated drinks, in a legislative battle that is pitting environmentalists against both beverage bottles and retailers.

Michigan currently mandates a 10-cent deposit on bottles of beer and carbonated soft drinks. Proponents of expanding the mandate, principally the Michigan United Conservation Clubs, note that the recycling rate for those bottles is 97%, while for bottled water, it’s only 20%.

The fight against the bill is being led by grocers and other beverage retailers, who don’t want to handle the extra containers, citing space and health concerns. One state senator said he would support expanding the deposit mandate only if the state built a network of recycling centers.