Returning cans and bottles to the store to get your deposit back is a way of life in Michigan. It is also a tried and true fundraising tactic as people are generally willing to “donate” their deposit to little league teams and 8th grade class trips in exchange for not having to stand in line at the bottle return area of the grocery store.
That practice might grow if a bill to expand the scope of the bottle deposits makes it through the legislature. Legislation was introduced last week to add non-carbonated beverages to the list of returnable cans and bottles. The original bottle law was passed in 1976 to reduce litter.
Most cans and bottles returned now are recycled, but the market for recycled plastic is dwindling. The bill was introduced by two Democrats from Kalamazoo who hope to encourage responsible consumption. The bill addresses the added burden to retailers in accepting and storing the increased volume of returnables and has provisions for fraud enforcement. The bills have been introduced in both the House and the Senate. They have a long way to go and a lot of details to work out as the discussion of expanding the bottle bill continues.
