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Mixed results after three months of CT’s updated bottle redemption program

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Mixed results after three months of CT’s updated bottle redemption program


A Connecticut law doubled container redemption values as 2024 began, but early data on the returns don’t yet show a clear impact on the state.

Under the updated “bottle bill” law, the deposit and redemption value of certain beverage containers purchased and returned in Connecticut is now 10 cents, instead of five. The over 40-year policy, which was updated on Jan. 1, was originally crafted to help incentivize more recycling and reduce litter.

Chris Nelson, an environmental analyst at the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), said the first three months of available data “arguably shows an increase” in the rate of bottle returns, but he had thought even more bottles would have been returned.

Massachusetts, Vermont, Maine and New York are among the 10 states with similar “bottle bills.” According to DEEP, states without such policies tend to have lower recycling rates.

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Long-term trends show more drink containers are returned in warmer months, he said.

“That’s kind of what I’m expecting. And actually, if for some reason, it’s not a significant jump, I think that will be more surprising to me than if there is one,” Nelson explained.

Nelson said the lower than expected rate of return could have to do with a lag in reporting or the 10 cent deposit taking a little while to take effect in some places. He wants to see the numbers for April through June before drawing any concrete conclusions about policy’s impact on Connecticut.

But especially high returns might indicate cross border fraud where individuals, theoretically, collect bottles from other states and import them into Connecticut to collect a higher reward. This scheme was satirized in a 1996 episode of Seinfeld. A new state law hopes to address that possibility but it’s a rule that would be difficult to enforce, Nelson said.

Only certain empty, clean containers made of metal, plastic or glass are eligible for redemption — such as beer, carbonated drinks, sports drinks, juice and more. Size is also a factor: only drink containers between 150 milliliters and 2.5 liters can be returned.

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Beverages like wine, spirits, milk cartons, among others, aren’t eligible. Plastic nip liquor bottles also can’t be redeemed but have a five cent surcharge which goes back to municipalities.





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Connecticut

Smoke from MA fire noticed from Southington to New Haven

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Smoke from MA fire noticed from Southington to New Haven


GREAT BARRINGTON, MA (WFSB) – Smoke from a large fire in Massachusetts wafted into Connecticut.

The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection said on Tuesday morning that smoke from the fire in Great Barrington traveled south into the state.

“Many residents from Southington to New Haven and beyond may be noticing a strong smell of smoke and haze [Tuesday] morning,” DEEP said.

DEEP said that Tuesday’s weather conditions caused smoke to spread widely and stay close to the ground. That’s what made it more noticeable.

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“Local officials are monitoring the situation,” it said. “If you’re sensitive to smoke, consider staying indoors and keeping windows closed until conditions improve.”

More on the forecast can be read in the technical discussion from Channel 3’s meteorologists here.



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Connecticut

Serious crash in downtown Stamford causes road closure

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Serious crash in downtown Stamford causes road closure


A serious car crash closed a busy road in downtown Stamford on Monday night.

The police department said Washington Boulevard is closed at the intersection with Bridge Street because of a serious crash.

Drivers are being asked to stay away from the area.

No additional information was immediately available.

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Immigration advocates vow to fight Trump deportation plans

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Immigration advocates vow to fight Trump deportation plans


Immigration advocates say they’ve already been preparing for President-elect Donald Trump’s pledge to ramp up deportations once he returns to the White House.

“We anticipate that they’re going to be very quick, very rapid, very massive efforts to grab as many people as possible and deport them,” National Immigration Law Center President Kica Matos said during a rally outside the Capitol on Monday.

Matos said hers and other organizations began considering possible actions earlier this year in case Trump won.

Now, Trump is promising to deliver on his campaign pledge, taking to his Truth Social platform earlier in the morning to confirm he plans to declare a national emergency.

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He also intends to try and use the military to support his deportation effort, his post confirmed.

Advocates said they’re trying to assume undocumented immigrants in Connecticut that their organizations will offer support.

“If families have to be separated, it defeats the point completely because people are trying to get to the United States to be with their families,” said Tabitha Sookdeo, executive director of CT Students For a Dream.

Sookdeo said her family came from Guyana when she was a teenager and her grandmother, who was a U.S. citizen, was trying to help them also get permanent legal status.

Her grandmother died during the process, though, leaving Sookdeo’s family in limbo.

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“Immigration is pretty complicated,” she said.

Democrats, meanwhile, said they won’t support federal deportation efforts.

Attorney General William Tong (D) pointed to the state’s Trust Act, which bars local and state agencies from cooperating with federal immigration enforcement efforts.

“Connecticut is going to care for our immigrant families and immigrant neighbors and friends,” Tong said.

There are some exceptions, including when an undocumented immigrant is convicted of a Class A or Class B felony. Tong wouldn’t say if that means Connecticut has to notify federal authorities of such a conviction.

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“I’m not going to issue a legal opinion on the fly from this podium,” Tong said.

Connecticut Republicans were critical of Democrats, though, saying their policies don’t reflect what voters want.

Rep. Vincent Candelora (R-Minority Leader) said Connecticut spends too much money supporting undocumented immigrants, including with Medicaid, education and other assistance.

He also said voters are worried about public safety.

“It’s really out of step, I think, with what the residents and America wants, and that is, you know, safe borders, public safety and we have to get the cost of immigration under control,” Candelora said.

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