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WARD 1 UPDATE
Hello Neighbors:
Protecting the environment has always been a core value for me and important to my work.
That’s why I could not be prouder to introduce major legislation that will impact the future of our environment, addressing an issue that affects not only my kids, but theirs to come.
D.C. has a significant litter problem – in particular, our District has a problem with beverage containers, which end up on the ground and in our waterways by the ton. These containers alone account for 60 percent of the weight of all trash retrieved from the Anacostia River.
Our current recycling process is not enough to handle this problem. The promise that was made to my generation years ago – that if we dutifully put our recycling into the bin, it would not end up in landfills – is a lie. In fact, the majority of it is not being recycled.
There is a solution. And that solution has been implemented in 10 states. It has been highly and measurably successful in every one of those states.
With my legislation, the Recycling Refund and Litter Reduction Amendment Act of 2025, retailers would collect 10 cents for every beverage bottle or can and customers would bring back their containers and get their 10 cents back. Beverage distributors take care of the rest – they would create an entity to pay the stores a handling fee for their role and work with stores to transport the bottles and cans to recycling facilities. (Small corner stores won’t be required to take back bottles – customers could return them elsewhere.)
D.C.’s “bottle bill” will drastically reduce litter in streets, parks, and rivers by incentivizing people to return their containers.
The bill is projected to increase recycling rates by more than three times and cut the number of containers that end up in the incinerator, landfill, or the environment by five times.
I’m excited to have introduced this bill alongside Chairman Mendelson and nine of my Council colleagues, and with the support of advocates and environmental groups who have been working on this issue for years. A bottle deposit program will have a profound impact on the environment and on the quality of life in our city and will get us one giant step closer to meeting our zero waste goals.
Great News for Violence Prevention and Public Safety in Ward 1
InnerCity Collaborative CDC was recently awarded a contract from the Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement to expand violence interruption services in Ward 1 neighborhoods. InnerCity has already been doing great work in Ward 1 as the organization tapped by the Office of the Attorney General to run its Cure the Streets program here.
The Cure the Streets model and the ONSE model have similarities and complement each other well, meaning that InnerCity will now be able to provide even more comprehensive services, building on their deep connections in the community, working to de-escalate conflicts before they result in gun violence, and working to build community. They will also expand the geography of their work in the ward, adding LeDroit Park.
InnerCity also recently received a grant through the Child and Family Services Agency to serve families in crisis, addressing food insecurity, domestic violence, and making sure young people have what they need to stay and be successful in school.
I am routinely in contact with Rev. Judie Martin, who runs InnerCity, coordinating and communicating about what’s happening in the neighborhood and how my office and the Council can support her work. Rev. Judie’s personal and professional commitment to the community she serves is inspiring. She and her team have been incredible partners in this work.
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