Sen. Patricia Fahy, D-Amsterdam, speaks at a news conference in Albany recently. Fahy is proposing legislation that would establish a deposit and recycling program for wine and liquor bottles.

Bottle redemption may be coming for liquor and wine sold in New York state.

On Wednesday, state Sen. Patricia Fahy, D-Amsterdam, has introduced legislation (S.10211) that would amend the state Environmental Conservation Law to establish a deposit and recycling program for wine containers and liquor containers. The program will create a modernized, state-administered redemption and recycling program designed to

increase recycling rates, reduce litter and create a sustainable system for managing wine and liquor containers while minimizing burdens on retailers, distributors, restaurants, and bars.

“New York’s container deposit system, commonly known as the Bottle Bill, has been one of the most successful recycling initiatives in the United States since its adoption in 1982. However, wine and liquor containers remain excluded from the system,” Fahy wrote in her legislative justification. “Wine and liquor containers-primarily glass-present unique challenges to municipal recycling systems. Glass contamination reduces the value of recyclable materials, increases processing costs, and limits recovery efficiency. As a result, many of these containers are landfilled or improperly recycled. Removing glass containers from the municipal recycling waste stream is therefore critical to improving overall recycling system performance.”

Fahy proposes requiring a 5 cent deposit for containers under 24 ounces and 10 cents for containers 24 ounces or

larger. The deposit would take effect on containers sold on or after April 1, 2030.

Wine and liquor containers would be required to display refund value information, either directly on the container or

via a scannable code linking to refund details and would assign labeling responsibility to manufacturers or first sellers.

Liquor stores would not be required to accept returns under Fahy’s proposal. Redemption centers would be allowed to accept wine and liquor bottles and receive handling fees negotiated by the state Department of Environmental Conservation. The DEC would be required to establish and administer a statewide recycling program funded by deposits and material sales, with the program to also include reimbursement to redemption centers, infrastructure development, fraud prevention, grants and annual reporting requirements.

In 2020 the Jamestown BPU decided to eliminate collecting glass from its customers because collecting glass for recycling was too expensive and because customers typically didn’t recycle glass. Glass with deposits on them are the cleanest glass and sought by recyclers, but clear glass is often contaminated with light bulbs, window glass and ovenware that can’t be melted down at high temperatures. That makes it undesirable for recycling companies.

Fahy’s bill creates a separate, modernized deposit system tailored to the wine and spirits industry. Unlike the traditional Bottle Bill model, Fahy’s program centralizes administration within the Department of Environmental Conservation and relies on dedicated redemption centers rather than retailers.

“This approach reduces operational burdens on small businesses and hospitality establishments; improves recycling outcomes for glass and other materials; ensures statewide access to redemption; and creates a self-sustaining, circular system funded by deposits and material revenues. By expanding deposit coverage to wine and liquor containers, New York will significantly increase recycling rates, reduce landfill waste, and strengthen its leadership in sustainable materials management,” Fahy wrote.