This week, Niagara Falls (Canada) council renewed its commitment to a bylaw first passed in 2009 that bans the the sale of water in plastic bottles on city-owned property.

The food and beverage provider at the city’s new Gale Centre had petitioned council to allow it to sell biodegradable water bottles, but the request was denied. Council was, however, dismayed to learn that while their bylaw may prohibit the sale of plastic water bottles, it does not keep visitors from bringing their own containers onto city property–which then raised questions about the city’s recycling efforts.

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American Idol’s top 11 contestants are the latest to create a public service video about the dangers of plastics pollution. They join the ranks of famous performers like Jack Johnson and Benicio del Toro, asking us to refuse, reduce, reuse, and recycle and talking about the dangers of plastics pollution.

Massachusetts’ bottle bill currently requires deposits only on soda and beer bottles and cans. However, lawmakers are trying to expand the 5-cent deposit to also include sport drink and bottled water bottles, as well as other beverage containers.

Almost half of the cities and towns in Massachusetts have passed resolutions supporting the expansion and a recent poll found that 77 percent of the public supports it.

About 80 percent of soda and other containers covered under the existing bottle deposit law are redeemed or recycled but only an estimated 22 percent of other uncovered bottles are recycled. The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection said municipalities could save a combined $7 million a year in avoided trash costs under expected improvements in recycling.

The bill would also re-establish a Clean Environment Fund so that unreturned deposit money can be set aside for recycling and environmental projects and boost a fee that beverage distributors pay to bottle redemption centers.