Democratic Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer hasn’t allowed Michiganders to redeem their bottles and cans since the end of March because of the pandemic. However, customers still have to pay the 10-cent deposit “tax” per bottle and can.
Even though the collection and transportation of bottles and cans can be done safely, Whitmer has yet to “release” the cans and bottles because the governor said that bottle return services aren’t critical infrastructure.
Looks like the residents of Michigan have about $50 million worth of unredeemed bottles and cans sitting around their homes. At 10¢ each, that’s five hundred million cans or bottles. Every week, 70 million more cans and bottles get added to that number.
Just think about the long lines people will face when they’re finally allowed to turn their bottles and cans into their local grocery, party stores and gas stations. I’m sure, by then, the stores will limit us to how many we can return and it’ll take months.
The state of Michigan (Treasury) receives 75% of the unclaimed bottle return money into their “Cleanup and Redevelopment Trust Fund” with only 25% of the money going to the retailer.
The Michigan Treasury received $42.8 million in unclaimed bottle return money in 2018. If people get tired of storing their drink containers and start throwing away their bottles and cans or putting them into recycling, the state of Michigan will clean up. Clean up the money.
The lockdown of drinking containers is also having an effect on can and bottle makers who rely on the recycled containers to make their products. They are having to look towards other supplies or using glass.
Michigan ranks third in bottle and can recycling, behind California and New York and most years Michiganders have returned more than 90% of their bottles and cans for recycling.
Some Michigan charities are getting creative and having bottle and can drives to collect them for later redemption to help their non-profit organizations.
Another creative use would be to create some sort of statue for the governor in your front yard made of bottles and cans glued together. Maybe a replica of the governor’s boat?
Unless, of course, you don’t want your neighbors to know how much Pepsi or Budweiser you drink.
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