We should all just ignore the fact that the state of Michigan counts on 13m a year for environmental cleanup...funds that they collect from those who purchase cans and bottles and funds that COULD likely be returned to those who pay the fee.
In other words, if people collected the money owed them, the state would not have the funds for cleanup. Just like using a cigarette tax to pay for healthcare, the government needs people to smoke, to pay the tax, to pay for healthcare. But here, they need the people to pay a deposit on cans and bottles and then throw those bottles out the window of their car, so that the state can hire someone to go around and pick up those bottles and cans.
Brilliant.
“...they need the people to pay a deposit on cans and bottles and then throw those bottles out the window of their car, so that the state can hire someone to go around and pick up those bottles and cans.”
I believe the purpose of the deposit is to encourage people to not throw the cans out their windows, so the state does not have to pay someone to go around and collect them.