Improvements to bottle bill too late for NPI

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds has signed into law a bill that will revamp the state’s can and bottle deposit law.
The bill increases the handling fee for redemption centers from one cent to three cents. It also authorizes the creation of mobile redemption centers and allows stores to opt out of taking back cans and bottles.
Emily Martin, Development Specialist with Nishna Production, Inc., in Red Oak said the new law doesn’t change the status of, or future plans for, the organization’s redemption center.
“The updated bottle bill, although a long time coming, is only a piece of the puzzle that makes the redemption center work. Currently, we do not have the human resources (manpower) necessary to operate the facility. Our focus is on providing quality services to the people we support,” Martin said. “We are pleased, however, that this legislative step has been taken and hope others are able to benefit from it.”
The redemption center operated by NPI in Red Oak closed Dec. 31, 2021, after being open since April 2012.
The center had continually been operating at a loss, as it cost more to operate the facility as what was made through redemption. NPI, Inc. also struggled to maintain the labor required to process the increasing volume of bottles and cans.