File: A collection of recyclable beverage containers in Lee County, Ala., on March 30, 2011.
Courtesy of Bruce Dupree/Auburn University
Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek recently signed a piece of legislation that makes notable changes to Oregon’s landmark Bottle Bill. The new rules allow grocery and convenience stores across the state to reduce the hours that customers can redeem cans and bottles for cash. They also allow retailers in downtown Portland to stop accepting containers altogether if they’re close enough to an “alternative redemption site” such as The People’s Depot, which processes returns from people whose primary income comes from redeeming beverage containers.
Taylor Cass Talbott is the co-founder and co-executive director of Ground Score Association, which operates The People’s Depot. Kris Brown is the operational manager for The People’s Depot. They both join us to talk about the changes and about ongoing concerns around how the Bottle Bill is interacting with the state’s homelessness and drug crises.
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