Oregon’s Bottle Bill Remains Deeply Valued and Widely Supported Across the State

This story is published in cooperation with Willamette Week and Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative.

A recent statewide survey commissioned by the Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative (OBRC) found that 87% of residents agree the Bottle Bill is good for Oregon. A similar share of respondents, 81%, say that a deposit system remains necessary even where curbside recycling is widely available.

The survey, conducted by DHM Research, gathered residents’ perspectives on redemption experiences, available redemption options and the continued need for a deposit system, while also exploring how immediate cash redeemers participate in the program and use redemption income.

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“What stands out in this data is how consistent support for the Bottle Bill is throughout Oregon,” said John Horvick, senior vice president, DHM Research. “When nearly 9 out of 10 residents across the state agree a program is good for Oregon, that’s a level of consensus you rarely see in public opinion research. It speaks to how deeply this system has become part of everyday life here.”

The survey explored a range of perspectives on immediate cash redemption, including concerns about potential links to homelessness and substance use. While most respondents, especially those who use the program, reported seeing little evidence of those connections, approximately one in four Oregonians expressed sentiment that such a relationship may exist. Even with those concerns in mind, overall support for cash redemption remained strong: 90% of Oregonians support cash refunds for bottles and cans, and 83% value the Bottle Bill as an income-earning opportunity for people facing hardship.

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Reflecting on the concerns expressed by some survey respondents, Jason Jordan, President and CEO of OBRC, said, “OBRC works with local partners to address challenges where we can make a difference, while recognizing that many underlying societal issues extend beyond our control or influence.”

Turning to the broader survey results, Jordan commented, “as the industry stewards of the Oregon Bottle Bill, we are heartened to see continued and meaningful support from all corners of our state. What makes Oregon’s Bottle Bill so strong is that it has never stood still. Over the past 55 years, the program has expanded and modernized to give Oregonians more ways to participate while providing positive environmental, social and community benefits to all. That is why Oregon continues to lead the nation: The system adapts for people, and people respond by using it. The results of this survey further demonstrate this approach is working for Oregon.”

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The survey, conducted earlier this year, polled more than 1,000 Oregon residents. In the survey’s weighted general-population sample, 65% of Oregonians were Bottle Bill participants, while 35% were non-participants. Additionally, 41% of Oregon residents reported having a BottleDrop account—roughly two in five Oregonians. Among those surveyed, 88-95% reported a positive redemption experience, whether that be redemption by Green or Blue Bag programs, BottleDrop Redemption Centers, or at grocery or convenience stores.

There were 583 immediate cash redeemers who participated in the survey, who redeem bottles and cans for cash on the spot. Many of them do so through BottleDrop Redemption Centers located throughout the Portland metro area and across the state. Among city of Portland cash redeemers, 5% reported that they most often redeem at The People’s Depot, a single redemption location, while 7% reported that they most often redeem at one of Portland’s approximately 360 convenience stores. These findings underscore the significant role The People’s Depot plays in serving immediate cash redeemers despite operating from a single site.

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The immediate cash redeeming population skews lower-income and higher-need than the general public, with 86% of participants reporting that they most often use their container refunds to pay for basic necessities.

“These numbers confirm what we see every day at The People’s Depot: Access to immediate refunds isn’t just convenient, it’s essential,” said Taylor Cass Talbott, co-founder and executive director, Ground Score Association. “For the canners and redeemers we work with, the income covers necessities like rent, food and transportation. This survey shows just how much this system matters to Oregonians.”

Learn more about the Bottle Bill at bottledropcenters.com, and Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative at obrc.com.