Be Prepared To Pay More For Many Popular Items In New York State

Lawmakers have introduced a bill that would make it more expensive to purchase beverages in New York. The law could also earn you some extra cash as well.

The proposed bill would increase how much your charged when you purchase beverages from stores in New York State, updates the Empire State's definition of a "beverage" and increase how much money you'd get if you recycle the beverage.

Handling Fee Increased

It's known as the "bottle bill." If passed the "handling fee," aka the small additional charge you pay when you purchase beverages will increase by one cent.

The handling fee will increase from 5 cents to six cents, lawmakers confirmed.

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"The handling fee will be six cents for each beverage container accepted by a deposit initiator from a dealer or operator of a redemption center," the proposed bill states.

Earn More Money When You Return Bottles

Now the good news. If passed, the bill would double how much you receive when you return the bottle.

The bill would raise the deposit refund value from 5 cents to 10 cents. It would mark the first increase in about 40 years.

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"The purpose of this bill is to incentivize more recycling of beverage containers, and thereby reduce solid waste, through expansion of eligible containers for a deposit and redemption under the current Bottle Bill," the bill states.

New Definition For "Beverage" In New York

Another part of the bill adds wine, liquor, noncarbonated beverages, distilled spirit coolers, and cider to the state's definition of "beverage".

This means all of those items would be eligible for a 10-cent bottle deposit refund.

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If passed, everything would go into effect starting April 1, 2026.

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