Michigan Bottle Return Rates Are At A 30 Year Low

Fewer people in Michigan are taking the time to return their bottles and cans, which means millions of dollars are going unclaimed.

I've always thought everyone had the same Michigan mentality that I did when it came to bottles and cans. Sure, they do a great job of holding our drinks, but in the back of my head, I know that the can is money. That's how you can tell if someone was truly born and raised in Michigan. Just try to throw a can of pop away in front of them. If they're really from here, they'll remind you that you're throwing away money.

I don't think it's fair to say that the bottle return program is broken, but there has been a lot of talk over the last few years about ways to improve it.

Only 70% of deposits were redeemed last year, the state's lowest rate going back to 1990, state data shows. Since the pandemic, Michigan's bottle and can return rates have fallen drastically from the 96% annual average from 1990-2019. The crazy part is that Michigan's overall recycling numbers have been improving over the last 10 years.

One of the suggested solutions is raising the deposit return amount, but more people are leaning towards increasing the types of bottles that can be returned. There has been a push lately to add water bottles to the returnable list. This would help keep the plastics out of the trash heaps, but it isn't clear if it would actually increase the amount of people returning their bottles.

What is the main reason you are not taking your bottles and cans back for the deposit?