So, what pray tell is the reasoning behind recycling cans and bottles? If a normal, semi-smart “judge” gets a hold of this case, Cauliphonya loses.
In my state (Michigan) it is not about recycling but about keeping them from becoming litter.
You put down a deposit when you buy it and when you turn it in rather then tossing it into a river you get your money back.
Or who ever finds and polices up your trash will get it when they bring it in.
It actually does work because people do pick up any cans and bottles they find and turn them in.
However bringing in bottles and cans from another state is not going to prevent litter here. That is that other states problem.
Less litter is a good thing.
So, what pray tell is the reasoning behind recycling cans and bottles? If a normal, semi-smart “judge” gets a hold of this case, Cauliphonya loses.
Bottle and cans have a recycling value even when other “recyclable” materials don’t. But getting people to segregate them for recycling takes the encouragement of the 5 cent fee. 10 states in the United States have container deposit legislation which include plastic bottles.
It is to encourage recycling and complement existing curbside recycling programs; to reduce energy and material usage for containers, to reduce beverage container litter along highways, in lakes and rivers, and on other public or private properties (where beverage container litter occurs, a nominal deposit provides an economic incentive to clean it up, which can be a significant source of income to some poor individuals and non-profit civic organizations); and to extend the usable lifetime of taxpayer-funded landfills.
All of this is done with minimal interference or assistance from government in the US.
Bottles and cans sold in Maine must have a UPS code on them. That code tells a machine where (state) it was sold. I have had NH cans in my returnables and the machine rejects them.
There are essentially three ways to return them. Clynk bags that you drop off with a UPS tag that identifies your account and after being processed off site, the money is added to your account.
Second, there are places that have (soda machine style) machines that you pop cans through that check the type and code, these machines take cans and plastic, sending them left and right to be shredded or crushed. Separate bottle machines crush the bottles into reusable glass.
Third, are old style places where you drive up, dump your cans into a big tub and the attendant sorts and counts the bottles.
The plastic does have a market, although not as robust as glass and aluminum (both which get remelted in high heat that would kill any bad stuff left behind.
About 40 countries including the US and Canada around the globe have some form of law dictating returnables. So while only 10 states i the US, require it, all of the Canadian provinces have laws relating to it.
Some of the information here was derived from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Container-deposit_legislation