Originally known as House Bill 14-211 when introduced in Nov. 2004, House Bill 17-202, or the Recycling Deposit Fee and Payout Program Act, was referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means after Maratita introduced it last Tuesday.
In an interview, Maratita, R-Saipan, said the measure was passed by the 14th House but not by the Senate.
H.B. 17-202 imposes a 5-cent deposit fee for every bottle of beverage bought in stores. Upon return of the empty bottle, the buyer can get at least 75 percent of the deposit.
The bill also establishes redemption centers where consumers can get their refund.
If customers do not return the bottles, dealers “shall remit all deposits collected each month in the same manner and on the same form utilized to remit business gross revenue taxes, payable to the CNMI treasury.
The bill establishes a “recycling deposit fund” in the CNMI Treasury.
