The Nickels Add Up: Madison Gets $5K For 80K 'Nips' Sold

MADISON, CT — From April to September, there were 80,246 nips sold in Madison. And as part of the state's “nickel-per-nip” environmental stewardship program, the town got a $5,413.09 payment, that's 5 cents each for every teeny tiny bottle sold.

Under a law passed last year, a 5-cent surcharge is placed on the sale of each 50 ml “nip” container at the point of sale. Every April and October each municipality receives a nickel for each one sold inside the town in the preceding six months.

Last week, checks amounting to $2.3 million were sent to Connecticut municipalities representing nip sales from April 1 to September 30.

Since the program began in October 2021, Madison has received $9,425.39 for those nip sales.

So what does the town do with this money?

Proposed by Three Tiers for Connecticut and passed by the General Assembly in 2021, the program is designed to help cities and towns provide for the collection and proper disposal of 50 ml “nip” bottles. Three Tiers for Connecticut is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization representing all of the major wine and spirits wholesalers in Connecticut, as well as suppliers and retailers—thereby being representative of all three tiers of the alcohol beverage industry.

Since the first payment was sent to towns in May, Connecticut municipalities have been using the funding for a number of litter-reduction efforts. Some towns have used the funding to support recycling coordinator positions, while others have partnered with local non-profit organizations on litter cleanups.

“This simple program is a national model, and it’s making a real difference in our state,” Lawrence F. Cafero, Jr., President and Treasurer of Three Tiers for Connecticut and Executive Director of Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of Connecticut, Inc. said.

“Connecticut’s wine and spirits industry recognized that litter from our 50 ml nip containers was a problem that needed to be addressed, so our members stepped up with a solution that provides direct funding to municipalities so they have more resources to combat litter. We’re excited to watch these nickels get put to work.”