[§342G-102] Deposit beverage container fee.
(a) Beginning on October 1, 2002, every deposit beverage distributor shall pay to the department a deposit beverage container fee on each polyethylene terephtalte, high density polyethylene, or metal deposit beverage container manufactured in or imported into the State. The fee shall be imposed only once on the same beverage container. The fee shall be 0.5 cents per beverage container.(b) Beginning on October 1, 2004 every deposit beverage distributor shall pay to the department a deposit beverage container fee on each deposit beverage container manufactured in or imported into the State. The fee shall be imposed only once on the same beverage. The fee shall be 1 cent per beverage container.
(c) No county shall impose or collect any assessment or fee on deposit beverage containers for the same or similar purpose that is the subject of this chapter.
(d) Beginning January 1, 2005, the deposit beverage container fees shall be based on a previous calendar quarter's recycling rates as established by rules. The rates shall be as follows, based on the number of containers sold and the number recovered during a previous quarter:
(1) If the recovery rate is seventy per cent or less: 1 cent per container; and
(2) If the recovery rate is greater than seventy per cent: 1.5 cent per container. [L 2002, c 176, pt of §2]