Bottle Deposit Operation

[Maitre]

As I see it, the question is less about is it a good idea and more about volume of cans you can carry cross state lines. You certainly won't get rich off this scheme, but it could give you some quick and easy spending money.

Next time you are in Michigan, check into grocery stores. Most stores who recycle cans do it through automated machines. As long as a can that has no printed deposit matches the same dimensions of a can that does have a deposit, you're golden.

Cheers,

Munk

Ps. Now if only you could funnel the collosal can producing power of Fraternities into a collection bin... :lol:

I have two anecdotal pieces of evidence that should be mentioned:
1. I went to college at Syracuse in central New York and had some friends from Michigan. On one of their trips home, a bunch of us tried to load up their car with bottles and cans and make a quick few bucks. Long story short: no dice. Bottles/cans purchased in NY were not accepted by the automatic machine that our friends attempted to use (or that's what they told us:unsure:).
2. When I used to live in Massachisetts, our family would take vacations to Virginia (now I live in Virginia and have no time for vacationing, Ahh sweet irony). On these trips we would end up buying provisions in multiple states, and some would make the trip back because they had enough remaining that it was too much to waste. When bottles or cans made the trip back, surprise surprise, they would not be accepted by the automatic redemption machines at the local grocery store in MA.

In my experience, grand plans aside, "No deposit, no return" seems to ring true. The issue in this case is the barcode which is scanned by the automatic redemption machines. If the propoer family of codes is not present, then no financial reward. YMMV with live oporator redemption situations.

On to current status: as I said, I now live in VA (and have no time for vacationing, what's up with that anyway?) a no-deposit state. We do have curbside recycling, but the rules are a bit flukey. Newspapers will be accepted, but only if bundled with string. Cardoard will be accepted, but only if broken down flat with dimensions not to exceed x" by y", also bundled with string. Bottles (glass and plastic) and cans will be accepted, but only if not crushed/broken, nor will they be accepted if contained within a plastic bag. Given these rules, I'm left to believe that the recycling process for newsprint and cardboard requires string as one of the reagents and the county is too cheap to provide their own, that broken glass and crushed plastic or aluminum is completely useless, and that the powers of the recycling gods can be blocked by simple plastic bags. On the other hand, the supermarket gods have among their powers the collection of plastic bags for recycling. Woe to us all if these two pantheons align: what will become of us then?