LANSING, Mich. (AP) - Michigan lawmakers want to crack down on can
and bottle smugglers they say are scamming Michigan for undeserved
recycling refunds, corrupting a generous 10-cent per container payback
policy once infamously portrayed in a "Seinfeld" episode.
Lawmakers say illegal refunds are a serious
problem, especially in border counties. They want tougher penalties on
people who try to return out-of-state cans and bottles for refunds on
un-marked containers bought in neighboring states.
Republican Rep. Kenneth Kurtz of Coldwater recently
introduced a bill that would create penalties for those attempting to
return fraudulent containers. Current law sets penalties only for those
who actually return fraudulent containers.
Michigan's deposit refund is the highest in the
nation. Nine other states, including California, New York and
Massachusetts, have nickel deposits on most containers.
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