Kotek Will Extend Bottle Bill Exemption for Downtown Safeway and Plaid Pantry 30 More Days

The governor initially paused returns at the two hot spots for a month. Now she’ll double that timeout.

YES WE CAN: Street activity outside the Safeway on Southwest 11th Avenue. (Nathaniel Perales)
By Nigel Jaquiss

Gov. Tina Kotek has decided to extend the exemptions from the Bottle Bill for the downtown Safeway and an adjacent Plaid Pantry store for another 30 days.

The Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission, which oversees the Bottle Bill, notified the two retailers of Kotek’s decision via email this morning.

“After discussion with the governor’s office, the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission will continue temporary suspension of individual container return compliance enforcement at Safeway located at 1030 SW Jefferson Street in Portland from April 1, 2024, until May 1, 2024,” the agency told the retailers.

The suspension, which came after WW reported on the connection between the return of loose cans and bottles to downtown retailers and people who then purchase and smoke fentanyl outside the stores, pleased neighbors, who have deluged Kotek’s office with requests to extend the exemption. (The exemption only covers loose cans and bottles. Safeway continues to accept cans and bottles in bulk through the Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative’s green bag program.)

Related: Fentanyl Threatens Oregon’s Cherished Bottle Bill

The state will use the additional 30 days to gather data on the impact of the exemption, as well as to consider whether there are other ways to lessen the impact of the Bottle Bill on downtown Portlanders.

At this time, no other retailers or locations beyond the original two are being exempted from accepting the return of loose cans and bottles.

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