An Oregon BottleDrop site. A columnist and former legislator praises Oregon’s iconic bottle bill, but says blaming it for the addiction crisis is wrong. (Courtesy Photo/Jason Quigley)

In the 1960s, my father was appalled at finding beverage containers littering Oregon’s beautiful beaches, rivers and mountains. He was an important part of the citizen-led initiative that resulted in Oregon’s landmark Bottle Bill.

Probably one of the most unique features of Oregon’s Bottle Bill is that it is not a government program and takes no taxpayer dollars. It is run by a not-for-profit cooperative, which is the envy of the nation. Since its passage by the 1971 Legislature, and particularly since the 2007 addition of water bottles, the Bottle Bill has evolved to meet the needs of the day. Innovations like the Green and Blue Bag programs are immensely popular and a convenient way for consumers to redeem containers.

Like many beloved Oregon institutions, the Bottle Bill has been impacted by Portland’s addiction and homelessness crises. Oregon’s redemption system is not the cause of these challenges. It is important to note that major cities across the country without a Bottle Bill are experiencing the same addiction trends as Portland and Multnomah County. Review the data for Seattle, for example.

The environmental benefits of our Bottle Bill are enormous. Together, we return and recycle more than two billion beverage containers every year. The quality and yield from our deposit return system are unmatched and studies show bottle bill states have far less litter than other states. The benefits go far beyond litter, however. Redeemed containers go directly into the cleanest of recycling streams, and do not contribute to our already at capacity landfills.

Let’s join together to work on the disease of addiction and to ensure our laws related to illicit drug sales are enforced. Suggesting that redeeming containers is the source of the fentanyl problem in Portland is like attacking a symptom to cure the disease. You must address the underlying illness, and the symptom relief will follow.

Vicki Berger is a retired state representative from House District 20, which includes Salem and portions of Marion and Polk counties.