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Connecticut’s Beverage Container Redemption Rate Rises 27% From 2024 to 2025, With Nearly All Other Deposit-Return System (DRS) States Not Experiencing Significant Redemption Rate Changes
The Container Recycling Institute Points to the Ongoing Need for Program Modernizations, But Also to Key DRS Overhauls in Vermont and Maine and California’s Expansion of Bottle and Can Redemption Options for Consumers
Highlights:
Connecticut, which implemented major beverage container deposit-return system (DRS) program upgrades over the past several years, saw its beverage container redemption rate jump by 27 percentage points (65% to 92%) from 2024 to 2025 after climbing from 44% to 65% from 2023 to 2024.
Among the nine (of 10 total) DRS states with available data, only Connecticut and Maine (-5%) experienced redemption rate changes of more than +/-2% from 2024 to 2025.
Due to the placement of deposits on additional beverage types in California (in 2024) and Connecticut (in 2023), over 2 billion more beverage containers are now on deposit in the U.S. compared to just a couple of years ago.
Maine and Vermont are working on important DRS program overhauls, while California is implementing nearly a dozen new grant programs to expand its beverage container redemption infrastructure – positive steps focused on improving their programs’ performance.
CRI is nearing completion of a guidebook on approaches to minimize DRS program fraud, free riding and errors – issues identified in Connecticut but successfully addressed in other DRS jurisdictions worldwide.
Overall, DRS program modernization and maintenance remain the most important means of ensuring long-term sustainable redemption rate increases.
CULVER CITY, CA, Aug. 3, 2026 – Beverage container redemption rates for calendar year 2025 in the U.S. deposit-return system (DRS, aka bottle bill) states – with the exception of Connecticut and, to a lesser extent, Maine – showed relatively small changes compared to the rates in calendar year 2024, according to data released today by the Container Recycling Institute (CRI), a national nonprofit recycling industry authority.
Below are findings from CRI’s data compilation for redemption rates in nine (of the 10 total) DRS states with available information.
Read the full press release with more information on DRS state developments and charts on redemption rates. Click Below:
CRI's mission is to make North America a global model for the collection and quality recycling of packaging materials. We envision a world where no material is wasted, and the environment is protected. We succeed because companies and people collaborate to create a strong, sustainable domestic economy. Visit us at www.container-recycling.org.
