Bottled water firms sue to stop NY deposit

Nestle Waters North America and other bottled water companies have filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in New York to stop the state from implementing a deposit law on water bottles. Nestle Waters CEO Kim Jeffery released a statement that said in part: "We believe the best ones encourage recycling of all containers, do not hurt consumers and do not favor special interests. The New York bottle bill fails all three tests. Moreover, the new law is unconstitutional, and we need a sound foundation if we are going to build a lasting and effective recycling program." The company also highlighted opposition to the N.Y. deposit by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who owns a small bottler called Keeper Springs. The bottlers have a point about drinks being treated unequally under the law, since it covers water but not sports drinks. Still, their cries that they support recycling, but oppose deposits, come across as hollow.