Michigan Treasury: Bottle Deposit Returns To Phase Back In

MICHIGAN — Michiganders with an assortment of cans and bottles can take solace in knowing that soon they'll be able to return them for a bottle deposit. The Michigan Department of Treasury announced Monday that beginning June 15, some retailers will be reopening their bottle return facilities.

The announcement applies to retailers with bottle return facilities located at the front of the store or housed in a separate area and serviced exclusively by reverse vending machines requiring minimal or no person-to-person contact, the department said in a news release.

Retailers re-opening their bottle return facilities must ensure those facilities comply with all state-mandated safety protocols and restrictions, the department said in a news release.

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In addition, retailers may take any or all of the following steps:

• Limit the number of beverage containers that may be returned by a single individual per day to a deposit refund amount of $25, pursuant to MCL 445.572(10).
• Establish special or limited hours of operation for bottle return facilities.
• Limit the number of available and operating reverse vending machines.
• Periodically close bottle deposit facilities as needed for cleaning and supply management.
• Implement such other procedures or restrictions as each retailer may determine are necessary or advisable to promote safety and/or efficiency.

During this initial phase, retailers must limit the volume of weekly returned beverage containers to no more than 140 percent of their average weekly collection volume for the period April and May 2019.

Consumers have the option of recycling their returnable beverage containers if they choose not to return them to a bottle deposit redemption facility.

Treasury will issue further guidance regarding additional phases of the reestablishment of the bottle deposit program in the near future.

The collection of returnable beverage containers was temporarily suspended in March due to the coronavirus pandemic. With the stay-home order being lifted and retail operations being allowed to reopen, the treasury department announced some would be reactivated.