A recent letter suggested that Maine’s local soda distributors support repeal of the bottle law. I disagree, but after 38 years it might be worth looking into whether there’s a better way to recycle.

The bottle bill has done a good job curbing roadside litter. As a recycling tool, though, it’s limited. Beverage containers make up just 4 percent of the total waste stream. Sure, there is a high return rate (70 percent) for beverage containers, but that’s not so good considering Maine’s recycling rate for all waste is only 38 percent.

It’s also inefficient. Every day, Maine consumers have to separate beverage containers from their other recyclables and drive them to a redemption center. Three truck fleets make separate trips to that redemption center (and 500 others) to pick up beverage containers, and then each spends energy to count, process and bale them at a separate facility.

Compare that to Maine communities that have single-stream curbside recycling.

One walk to the curb; one truck for pickup, one facility for sorting, reclaiming and selling all recyclable waste. Simple, convenient and, moreover, environmentally smart.

In 1989, Maine set a goal to achieve a 50 percent recycling rate. We’re no closer to that today than 10 years ago. That’s why we think it’s time to re-examine the bottle law in the context of that goal. We don’t claim to have the answers, but we are open to the idea that there might be a more efficient, effective way to recycle all waste. We think others should be, too.

Bob Bates, Auburn, on behalf of the Maine Beverage Association