DC leaders are considering the so-called “Recycling Refund and Litter Reduction Amendment Act of 2025.” For DC residents and local consumers it means higher prices, less convenience, and unsanitary shopping conditions.
Health and Safety Risks
DC residents are right to worry about the Dirty Bottle Bill. Forcing stores to collect sticky, used bottles and cans means garbage in the grocery aisle. That creates conditions where pests thrive—rodents, roaches, and flies drawn to the residue left in containers.
It also means serious sanitation problems: spilled liquids, mold, and bacteria in spaces where families buy food. Employees will have to handle unsanitary returns, raising health risks for both workers and shoppers.
The bill would turn neighborhood shops from food retailers into trash depots, making the places where we buy groceries less clean and less safe.
Financial Burden on Local Businesses
The Dirty Bottle Bill forces neighborhood stores to front the cost of deposits, invest in storage and equipment, and dedicate staff time to handling garbage instead of serving customers. For small businesses already operating on razor-thin margins, these new costs could be the tipping point, putting beloved corner stores, bodegas, and family-owned groceries at real risk of closing their doors for good.
Small Businesses, Big Impact on Consumers
The bill drives up beverage costs across the board. Small retailers will struggle to keep a wide selection of products, and many will raise prices or stop selling certain beverages altogether. That means less choice and higher costs for consumers citywide.
The Bottom Line
The bill unfairly burdens DC residents and neighborhood businesses. The Dirty Bottle Bill will cost families more, while making stores less convenient and less safe.