Nickel-Per-Nip Marks 4th Anniversary, Environmental Fee Program Generates $19M For Cities, Towns: State

EAST HAVEN, CT — The 'Nickel per Nip Environmental Fee,' a program that just passed its four-year anniversary on Oct. 1, has now generated approximately $19 million for cities and towns across Connecticut, Larry Cafero, the Executive Director and General Counsel of the Wine and Spirit Wholesalers, announced Tuesday.

Via this program, every city and town in Connecticut receives 5 cents for each nip sold within its borders.

"This is effective policy in action," Cafero said.

From April 1 to Sept. 30, 424,655 tiny booze bottles were sold in East Haven, which got the town $21,232 from the nickel-per-bottle fee.

Cafero said that the revenue for the latest reporting period, April 1 to Sept. 30, was
$2.49 million, an increase of approximately $45,000 over the same time period last year.

The program was designed to help cities and towns provide for the collection and proper disposal of nips to combat littering. Data from the Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of Connecticut shows that some cities and towns have used the funds to support recycling centers and litter-reduction initiatives.

"After four years in action, it’s never been clearer that this program is a resounding success for Connecticut," Cafero said. "We’ve been receiving great feedback from our partners in municipal government, who are benefitting from this new source of consistent revenue for environmental projects, and we’re excited by this program’s continued success."