A bill to expand Michigan’s bottle return law to include water bottles and other containers passed through a state Senate committee this week, but its future is very much in doubt.

When it was put into effect nearly 50 years ago, Michigan’s 10 cent deposit law largely succeeded in keeping beer and soda bottles and cans from being tossed alongside of the road. Now, Democratic state Senator Sean McCann of Kalamazoo is seeking to expand the bottle bill through a voter referendum.

“In the next statewide general election in 2026, the question of whether to expand Michigan’s existing bottle law,” McCann said.

Among those testifying in opposition of a new expanded return law was Michigan Beverage Association President Derek Bajema.

“This legislation would vastly improve the opportunities for deposit fraud,” Bajema said.

In the end, the bill did pass through the Committee of Energy and Environment, but whether it will actually be addressed in the remaining lame-duck Senate session is a big question mark.