Where do I return the plastic bottles for the 5 cent refund? archived

In trying to teach my son a valuable finance lesson, I have neglected to realize that I cannot find a single bottle return anywhere! Can anyone help me?

New Jersey doesn't take deposits on bottles or cans, unless something has changed recently. NY is the closest state that offers deposit refunds.

But not on bottles sold in New Jersey.

Teach him about recycling instead.

Ahhhhhhh yes I am a bistater most of the year so it just means taking them to Grandmas!

Don't bother taking bottles purchased in NJ to a deposit State.

Mother Dear tried redeeming the bottles and cans I supplied for a gathering in a deposit State, and was met with "Lady, you can't get a deposit back for bottles on which you ain't paid no deposit". Mother Dear was quite indignant, and vowed to never return to that establishment - and didn't - until she wanted something they sold.

Jes sayin'.

TomR

How do they know where the bottle was purchased?

They have these automated machines where you enter the bottle/can one at a time and it reads the barcode.

And the bottles/cans are marked.

cedar said:

And the bottles/cans are marked.

some sold here are marked for other states deposits though.

I just get 500 or so cans and sell them to a scrap yard for a few bucks.

"Freeway where would you find 500 soda/beer cans?"

20 employees + "Free unlimited canned soda" provided by one of my customers = dumpster full of soda cash i mean cans.

Would I be out of line here in pointing out to the OP that if you didn't pay a deposit (as in you bought the product in New Jersey), then to return them to a deposit state to collect a deposit would be to teach your son the valuable financial lesson of fraud?

And it probably wouldn't be a good idea to use a mail truck with which to transport them!

Max_weisenfeld is correct...I remember reading an AP article about redemption fraud this past winter, and here's the link: http://www.gazettenet.com/2011/02/12/maine-bottle-redemption-scam-alleged

blianderson said:

And it probably wouldn't be a good idea to use a mail truck with which to transport them!

Got it. Very funny episode.

You can still use the aluminum cans from soda and the like to teach your son a valuable lesson in helping others. MFD and other organizations collect the pull tabs from soda cans to raise money for charity. The rest of the can can be recycled with the town, which gets some revenue which helps offset taxes (albeit to a very minor degree).

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This is hysterical. My son knows more about recycling than I do! I honestly didn't think about redemption fraud but it iis duly noted and I think that solves the problem! Thanks all!