(a)(1) Every beverage container containing a carbonated beverage sold or offered for sale in this state, except for any such beverage containers sold or offered for sale for consumption on an interstate passenger carrier, shall have a refund value. Such refund value shall not be less than five cents and shall be a uniform amount throughout the distribution process in this state. (2) Every beverage container containing a noncarbonated beverage sold or offered for sale in this state shall have a refund value, except for beverage containers containing a noncarbonated beverage that are (A) sold or offered for sale for consumption on an interstate passenger carrier, or (B) that comprise any dealer's existing inventory as of March 31, 2009. Such refund value shall not be less than five cents and shall be a uniform amount throughout the distribution process in this state.

(b) Every beverage container sold or offered for sale in this state, that has a refund value pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, shall clearly indicate by embossing or by a stamp or by a label or other method securely affixed to the beverage container (1) either the refund value of the container or the words “return for deposit” or “return for refund” or other words as approved by the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, and (2) either the word “Connecticut” or the abbreviation “Ct.”, provided this subdivision shall not apply to glass beverage containers permanently marked or embossed with a brand name.

(c) No person shall sell or offer for sale in this state any metal beverage container (1) a part of which is designed to be detached in order to open such container, or (2) that is connected to another beverage container by a device constructed of a material which does not decompose by photodegradation, chemical degradation or biodegradation within a reasonable time after exposure to the elements.

(P.A. 78-16, S. 2, 6, 7, 10; P.A. 79-139, S. 1, 2; P.A. 80-95, S. 3; P.A. 84-30; 84-121, S. 2; P.A. 97-124, S. 12, 16; P.A. 09-2, S. 18; P.A. 11-80, S. 1.)

History: P.A. 78-16 effective January 1, 1980; P.A. 79-139 allowed “return for deposit” or “return for refund” on container rather than refund value and excluded from provisions of Subsec. (b)(2) glass containers permanently marked or embossed with a brand name; P.A. 80-95 added exception re beverage containers sold or offered for sale for consumption on interstate passenger carriers; Sec. 22a-78 transferred to Sec. 22a-244 in 1983; P.A. 84-30 amended Subsec. (c) by adding provision requiring that beverage container holders be constructed of a material which decomposes within a reasonable time after exposure to the elements; P.A. 84-121 amended Subsec. (a) by adding provision requiring the refund value to be uniform throughout the distribution process; P.A. 97-124 amended Subsec. (b) to eliminate type size requirement for refund value information on containers, effective June 6, 1997; P.A. 09-2 amended Subsec. (a) by designating existing provisions as Subdiv. (1) and adding Subdiv. (2) re noncarbonated beverages, and made a conforming change in Subsec. (b), effective April 1, 2009; pursuant to P.A. 11-80, “Department of Environmental Protection” was changed editorially by the Revisors to “Department of Energy and Environmental Protection” in Subsec. (b)(1), effective July 1, 2011.

Plaintiffs did not have a vested property interest in unclaimed deposits attributable to the period from December 1, 2008, through March 31, 2009, and, accordingly, the provision in P.A. 09-1 that all unclaimed deposits accruing during that period must be paid to the state does not rise to the level of an unconstitutional taking of property. 309 C. 810.