EAST HAVEN, CT — The 'Nickel per Nip Environmental Fee' program, introduced in October 2021, has now generated more than $22M for cities and towns across Connecticut, officials said.
The Nickel per Nip program, which has been in effect since October 2021, generated $2.4M across 170 cities and towns in the latest reporting period, from October 2025 through March 2026, according to Larry Cafero, executive director and general counsel of the Wine and Spirit Wholesalers.
Through this program, every city and town in Connecticut receives 5 cents for each nip sold within its borders. The funds are used for a myriad of environmental purposes, including community clean-ups by non-profit organizations, street sweeper purchases, food composting programs, and hiring recycling personnel.
In East Haven, 405,266 nip bottles were sold, which translates to $20,263.30 returned to the town.
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