The Litter Tax Question: A Deep Dive Into Policies and Realities

For years now, litter taxes have been touted to solve our persistent litter problems in the United States. In fact, some politicians seem to believe these levies are a sort of magic elixir – but are they really working in the states and municipalities where they’ve been imposed? Here, we take a deep dive into the finer points of litter taxes, comparing them to deposit laws, exploring case studies, and looking at their effectiveness and challenges.

Litter Tax vs. Deposit Law

A litter tax and a deposit law are distinct approaches to addressing the issue of waste management and environmental conservation. While a litter tax imposes a fee on the production or sale of certain products, aiming to fund cleanup and mitigation efforts, a deposit law requires consumers to pay a refundable deposit when purchasing items like beverage containers. This fee is then reimbursed upon returning the empty container, with the notion of encouraging recycling and reducing litter.

Why Not a Litter Tax?

Litter taxes, while designed to combat litter, often fall short of their goals. Here's why:

Disincentive to Litter: Litter taxes lack a direct disincentive on the consumer side, as the costs are often hidden in the price of goods.

Cumbersome Tax Collection: Collected three times – from manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers – litter taxes burden consumers with accumulated taxes without making them aware of the direct impact. Most consumers don’t even realize they are paying these specific levies.

Poorly Designed: These taxes may not target the biggest litter contributors, wasting resources and lacking efficiency. A Tax Foundation study points out that “litter taxes likely penalize many of the wrong people.”

Administrative Cost: Unlike deposit laws, litter taxes are costly to administer, requiring bureaucratic efforts.

Mopping Up vs. Turning Off the Tap: Litter taxes focus on cleanup rather than preventing excessive waste generation in the first place.

Litter Tax Case Studies

BottleBill.org conducted intensive research into existing and repealed or rejected litter taxes throughout the United States. These legislative measures are outlined below so you can see if your state, or states you frequently visit, have any current laws related to litter taxation.

Current Laws:

Hawaii: Public funding for traditional litter education and public litter receptacle programs.

Nebraska: Increased penalties for litterers, funding for education, research, litter receptacles, and recycling facilities.

New Jersey: Tax on 15 categories funds litter clean-ups and municipal recycling programs throughout the Garden State.

Ohio: The most ambitious program in the nation, generating $10 million yearly, yet has yielded no significant change in litter problems.

Tennessee: Taxes on beer and soft drinks fund litter pickup, education, and the Keep Tennessee Beautiful initiative.

Virginia: The Commonwealth’s litter tax program, from which proceeds are deposited into the Litter Control and Recycling Trust Fund, has been cited as a success, but closer examination raises questions about its overall effectiveness.

Repealed and Rejected Laws:

National: A 1979 cabinet-level study panel involving the Resource Conservation Committee, the Office of Management and Budget, the Council of Economic Advisors, the Council of Environmental Quality, the EPA, and the Departments of Energy, Commerce, Labor, Treasury, and the Interior ultimately rejected a federal litter tax as ineffective compared to deposit systems.

Connecticut: Passed both litter and deposit laws at the state level in 1978. The litter tax was later repealed in the first legislative session of 1981.

Colorado: Unpopular litter tax that diverted funds to recycling grants began in 1977, and was repealed in 1979 just four months before it would have sunset on its own.

California: Litter tax policy was widely regarded as inefficient and ineffective. It was repealed in 1982.

Kentucky: Litter tax took effect in June 1978, but was ultimately declared unconstitutional for being "unfair and arbitrary," per BottleBill’s report.

Vermont: Implemented litter tax alongside deposit law but repealed it in 1972.

Other Litter Programs:

States like Alaska, Louisiana, and South Carolina have alternative litter programs funded from general state funds, not through special taxes. Additionally, certain municipalities have their own litter tax programs.

Oakland's Litter Tax

In response to street trash, Oakland officials approved a tax on businesses to fund litter cleanup. Businesses face annual assessments ranging from $230 to $3,815. The Excess Litter Fee is designed to combat the California city’s rampant problems with littering.

National and International Trends

Litter tax proposals, though not as hot-button as issues like the federal Child Tax Credit, are widespread, with 37,000 Google search results for the term. Internationally, various countries are exploring litter taxes as part of their environmental strategies.

Are Litter Taxes Good Policy?

While some argue that litter taxes adhere to the "benefit principle," questions persist about their effectiveness. The broad nature of litter taxes, taxing both litterers and non-litterers, raises concerns about whether they genuinely target the right contributors to litter problems. In short, there is, unfortunately, not a black-and-white answer to the question: “Are litter taxes good policy?”

For businesses producing litter-generating products, understanding litter tax regulations is crucial. States like Hawaii, Nebraska, New Jersey, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia, and Washington have active litter tax statutes, imposing obligations on qualifying businesses.

Risks and Compliance

In many states and major metropolitan areas, businesses face penalties for non-compliance with litter laws, with penalties reaching 100% of the due litter tax amount, plus interest. Products subject to litter tax include various items like food and beverage containers, newspapers, cleaning agents, and more.

Business owners need to stay informed about local litter tax regulations to avoid penalties and ensure compliance.

The issue of litter taxes reveals a complex landscape of challenges, controversies, and limited success. As communities and businesses navigate the intricacies of these policies amid climate change and increased environmental awareness, ongoing evaluation and adaptation become crucial to addressing litter problems effectively.