AR HB1771

Establishes the Arkansas Litter Reduction and Deposit Beverage Container Recycling Act requiring a five-cent (5¢) deposit on most beverage containers sold in Arkansas, with containers labeled with "Arkansas" or "AR" and the refund value.

Creates the Office of Sustainable Materials within the Department of Environmental Quality to administer the deposit beverage container recycling program, including certification of redemption centers, collectors, and processors.

Requires deposit beverage distributors to pay a 5¢ deposit fee and 1¢ overhead support fee per container to the Deposit Beverage Container Fund, while dealers must charge consumers the program charge (up to 6¢ total) at point of sale.

Establishes certified redemption centers that accept empty deposit containers and issue refunds in cash, check, electronic form, or credit slips; centers receive overhead allowances of up to 1.6¢ per container from the fund.

Creates the Deposit Beverage Container Fund to reimburse refunds, pay overhead allowances, fund administrative operations, support underserved areas with redemption centers, and provide grants for water infrastructure and solid waste programs.