How to Recycle Aluminum Cans and Plastic Bottles and Earn Cash
Know which states and countries have bottle deposit laws., Locate nearby deposit and recycling centers., Know what items are accepted at deposit centers., Look for labels showing that the can or bottle is a deposit container.
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Know which states and countries have bottle deposit laws.
The first U.S. state to enact bottle deposit legislation was Oregon in 1971, at the direction of then-governor Thomas Lawson McCall.
Bottle deposit laws place a value on each beverage container sold; consumers pay the deposit when they buy the beverage and can return the empty container to reclaim the deposit.
In practice, however, many people discard the containers, so by collecting them, you can turn them in yourself for the deposit money.
For a current list of the states that have bottle deposit laws and what items they take, see http://www.bottlebill.org/legislation/usa/allstates.htm.
For a list of countries outside the United States that have bottle deposit laws, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Container_deposit_legislation. -
Step 2: Locate nearby deposit and recycling centers.
Recycling centers, which pay for aluminum cans by weight, are usually located on the grounds of firms that deal in scrap metal or paper. (Those located on the grounds of paper dealers often pay for old paper, as well.) Deposit centers, which pay money for aluminum cans and plastic bottles by the number of containers, are found on or near the grounds of supermarkets and beverage stores, either within the store or adjacent to it.
Most deposit centers have a limit as to how many containers a person or group may turn in per day.
Limits range from as few as 48 to as many as 500, with 144 to 150 being among the most common. , All the states with bottle deposit laws will accept aluminum cans and plastic bottles used to hold carbonated beverages (beer and soda pop), while some states may take containers for such non-carbonated beverages as wine, liquor or bottled water.
In addition, most store-based deposit centers will redeem only containers of the brands they sell at their location.
Recently, a number of deposit centers are also requiring that certain beverage containers bear a stamp indicating that the item came from that store or the distributor who wholesaled the beverage to that store.
Cans and bottles are usually required to be clean, empty, relatively intact and able to stand upright.
It is possible to straighten bent cans by inserting a wooden or metal rod into the can and pushing out against the sides of the can. (Don't push hard enough to tear the can's sides, however.) Plastic bottles can be straightened in the same fashion or by blowing air into them. , Aluminum cans are labeled as deposit containers either by having the label stamped into the container top or printed on the bottom.
Bottles have the information printed on the neck or side labels and sometimes directly on the bottle or the side of its cap.
Because cans are stamped and bottles are labeled at the bottling plant, these deposit label identifiers identify all the states where the container can be redeemed for a deposit.
The can or bottle may not necessarily be distributed to one of these states, however; it is possible to get a container with a deposit that's not valid in your state Remember, if a can or bottle lacks a deposit identifier, you can still recycle it, either by taking it to a recycling center or through your city's curbside recycling program. -
Step 3: Know what items are accepted at deposit centers.
-
Step 4: Look for labels showing that the can or bottle is a deposit container.
Detailed Guide
The first U.S. state to enact bottle deposit legislation was Oregon in 1971, at the direction of then-governor Thomas Lawson McCall.
Bottle deposit laws place a value on each beverage container sold; consumers pay the deposit when they buy the beverage and can return the empty container to reclaim the deposit.
In practice, however, many people discard the containers, so by collecting them, you can turn them in yourself for the deposit money.
For a current list of the states that have bottle deposit laws and what items they take, see http://www.bottlebill.org/legislation/usa/allstates.htm.
For a list of countries outside the United States that have bottle deposit laws, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Container_deposit_legislation.
Recycling centers, which pay for aluminum cans by weight, are usually located on the grounds of firms that deal in scrap metal or paper. (Those located on the grounds of paper dealers often pay for old paper, as well.) Deposit centers, which pay money for aluminum cans and plastic bottles by the number of containers, are found on or near the grounds of supermarkets and beverage stores, either within the store or adjacent to it.
Most deposit centers have a limit as to how many containers a person or group may turn in per day.
Limits range from as few as 48 to as many as 500, with 144 to 150 being among the most common. , All the states with bottle deposit laws will accept aluminum cans and plastic bottles used to hold carbonated beverages (beer and soda pop), while some states may take containers for such non-carbonated beverages as wine, liquor or bottled water.
In addition, most store-based deposit centers will redeem only containers of the brands they sell at their location.
Recently, a number of deposit centers are also requiring that certain beverage containers bear a stamp indicating that the item came from that store or the distributor who wholesaled the beverage to that store.
Cans and bottles are usually required to be clean, empty, relatively intact and able to stand upright.
It is possible to straighten bent cans by inserting a wooden or metal rod into the can and pushing out against the sides of the can. (Don't push hard enough to tear the can's sides, however.) Plastic bottles can be straightened in the same fashion or by blowing air into them. , Aluminum cans are labeled as deposit containers either by having the label stamped into the container top or printed on the bottom.
Bottles have the information printed on the neck or side labels and sometimes directly on the bottle or the side of its cap.
Because cans are stamped and bottles are labeled at the bottling plant, these deposit label identifiers identify all the states where the container can be redeemed for a deposit.
The can or bottle may not necessarily be distributed to one of these states, however; it is possible to get a container with a deposit that's not valid in your state Remember, if a can or bottle lacks a deposit identifier, you can still recycle it, either by taking it to a recycling center or through your city's curbside recycling program.
About the Author
Jennifer Myers
Brings years of experience writing about DIY projects and related subjects.
Rate This Guide
How helpful was this guide? Click to rate: