Bottle Depots, why is this still a thing.....

[pepper24]

Paying a deposit on your cans or bottles was a great idea before when we needed new ways to reduce waste and didn't have wide spread recycling programs. Thousands of acres of rain forest were saved from this practical practice at the time but now is not necessary.

Now everyone recycles, we pay additional fees for blue bins that are always half empty......what is the point of having to pay a deposit then having to find a bottle depot in a non-residential area.

Driving to find one of these depots causes emissions and takes up my time. If I put them in the blue bin it attracts homeless people or old Asian couples. I always think the guy at my depot is ripping me off.

Is there a need for bottle depots today. Would be nice to not have to pay an extra $1.20 on a case of beer then have to waste a Saturday afternoon trying to recoup that.

[Nyah]

I just save mine up and wait for a kid who's fundraising for a hockey or soccer team to come by doing a bottle drive. In fact, I'd pay the $1.20 to NOT have to load up empties in my car and take them to the bottle depot.

[burn_this_city]

I just give mine to kids sports teams when they come to the door. It's a good cause and they can deal with the depot.

I think for the average person there is still an incentive to recycle them rather than throw them in the trash. If we removed the deposit more would go in the garbage. Also for items like tetra packs, I think the deposit covers a portion of the cost of actually recycling them.

[GreenLantern2814]

Because they're viable businesses.

And because those homeless people need to eat. They aren't going through your empties judging you for all the PBR.

It's probably very nice being you; take a moment and remember that.

[Locke]

You can also use Vecova, they come and pick it up and send you a tax receipt for a donation.

[Nufy]

Used to be Scouts...now Air cadets.

My recyclables never go to waste.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

Because they're viable businesses.

And because those homeless people need to eat. They aren't going through your empties judging you for all the PBR.

It's probably very nice being you; take a moment and remember that.

This is important. I've seen a sharp increase in people picking bottles down town and even outside of downtown. Its a way for people to make ends meet.


Also for people with low skills a job at the bottle depot is helpful.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by Nyah

I just save mine up and wait for a kid who's fundraising for a hockey or soccer team to come by doing a bottle drive. In fact, I'd pay the $1.20 to NOT have to load up empties in my car and take them to the bottle depot.

I've noticed that since the blue bins have up and running, school teams come around less frequently than they used to. I'd guess a lot fewer people stockpile their bottles anymore, which makes bottle drives less efficient.

[pepper24]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

Because they're viable businesses.

And because those homeless people need to eat. They aren't going through your empties judging you for all the PBR.

It's probably very nice being you; take a moment and remember that.

I donate to and volunteer at both Mustard Seed and DI. That goes directly to helping homeless. Picking through blue bins we do not know if they are using it for food or bad habits.

How are they viable businesses when we can recycle from our homes now. What am i missing.

[Wormius]

Originally Posted by pepper24

Paying a deposit on your cans or bottles was a great idea before when we needed new ways to reduce waste and didn't have wide spread recycling programs. Thousands of acres of rain forest were saved from this practical practice at the time but now is not necessary.

Now everyone recycles, we pay additional fees for blue bins that are always half empty......what is the point of having to pay a deposit then having to find a bottle depot in a non-residential area.

Driving to find one of these depots causes emissions and takes up my time. If I put them in the blue bin it attracts homeless people or old Asian couples. I always think the guy at my depot is ripping me off.

Is there a need for bottle depots today. Would be nice to not have to pay an extra $1.20 on a case of beer then have to waste a Saturday afternoon trying to recoup that.

Not all cities in Canada have blue bins though or easy access to regular recycling so there still needs to be some incentive.

[puckedoff]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

I've noticed that since the blue bins have up and running, school teams come around less frequently than they used to. I'd guess a lot fewer people stockpile their bottles anymore, which makes bottle drives less efficient.

Wait are you guys telling me I can just put my empties in the blue bin and they will get recycled that way?! (and I would just forego my deposit?)

[ken0042]

There's this option:
https://skipthedepot.com/

Basically costs you about 30% of your return.

[Wormius]

The only depots that are really bad are the ones that expect you to sort the bottles. We discovered this while in Kelowna. Was kind of unexpected and gross without knowing that going in.

I wonder if it is people who think that you'll have to sort them out if you take them to the depot that are just sticking them in the blue bins.

[Nufy]

Originally Posted by puckedoff

Wait are you guys telling me I can just put my empties in the blue bin and they will get recycled that way?! (and I would just forego my deposit?)

More likely they will get taken from your blue bin and brought to a bottle depot anyway.

You lose the deposit but also the hassle of the return.

[Wormius]

They are supposed to get recycled anyway, if you do leave them in the blue bin.

[Amethyst]

Originally Posted by Wormius

They are supposed to get recycled anyway, if you do leave them in the blue bin.

I think I remember something in the news about the costs of the blue bins being less than originally thought because so many people were putting their bottles in there and the city was getting the deposits back.

I put mine in my blue bin and either the city gets them or a bottle picker. As long as they aren't leaving a mess (and they haven't so far) I don't really care who takes them. I remember once collecting what I thought was a lot of bottles and I got less than $5 back. It's not worth it to me to take that in, so I'm happy to give them to someone else. I just consider the cost of the drink plus the deposit to be the cost.

[habernac]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

I've noticed that since the blue bins have up and running, school teams come around less frequently than they used to. I'd guess a lot fewer people stockpile their bottles anymore, which makes bottle drives less efficient.

Not true. I'm always helping my kids with the Scouts bottle drives, they account for the majority of the funding for the program. Tons of people still stockpile their empties.

[kevman]

Originally Posted by pepper24

Paying a deposit on your cans or bottles was a great idea before when we needed new ways to reduce waste and didn't have wide spread recycling programs. Thousands of acres of rain forest were saved from this practical practice at the time but now is not necessary.

Now everyone recycles, we pay additional fees for blue bins that are always half empty......what is the point of having to pay a deposit then having to find a bottle depot in a non-residential area.

Driving to find one of these depots causes emissions and takes up my time. If I put them in the blue bin it attracts homeless people or old Asian couples. I always think the guy at my depot is ripping me off.

Is there a need for bottle depots today. Would be nice to not have to pay an extra $1.20 on a case of beer then have to waste a Saturday afternoon trying to recoup that.

Deposits help ensure higher recycling rates. How often do you miss an item that could be recycled and it ends up in the trash? Jurisdictions with bottle deposits in North America have far higher recycling rates than those without. There is a reason that bottle pickers sort through the black bins too.

Personally I'd like to add deposits to more things - like cigarette butts. Smokers have proven they can't be trusted to not litter so it's time to incentivise hanging onto those gross little things.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by habernac

Not true. I'm always helping my kids with the Scouts bottle drives, they account for the majority of the funding for the program. Tons of people still stockpile their empties.

I used to but we've stopped lately because we have the second car in the garage.

Bottle Depots are high on my list of:

"You'll never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy."

Just one spot below the Registry Office.

It is one domestic chore that I loathe. I've been lucky with Bottle Drives the past few times because my wife was giving me the 'When are you taking the bottles in?' question fairly regularly.

I think the most I've ever gotten was like $75, for me its not worth storing them, stacking them, getting them in the car, taking them to the Bottle Depot for that. Just not worth it.

[CaptainYooh]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

Because they're viable businesses.

And because those homeless people need to eat. They aren't going through your empties judging you for all the PBR.

It's probably very nice being you; take a moment and remember that.

So... leaving the condescension and Jesusness aside for a moment, this means you do agree with OP's point otherwise, i.e. bottle deposits no longer serve the purpose they've been originally intended to serve - to promote recycling, but are simply another unnecessary cash grab, correct?