HIAWATHA, Iowa (KCRG) – A new survey from the Sierra Club Iowa Chapter suggests Iowans are having a harder time redeeming their cans and bottles since changes were made to the state’s bottle bill in 2022.
Iowa’s bottle deposit program — in place since the late 1970s — gives people five cents back for every eligible container they return. But many recyclers say that’s getting more difficult as stores increasingly opt out of accepting returns.
Sharon Lutgens, who regularly visits a redemption center in Hiawatha, said it used to be far easier to return her containers at local grocery stores…