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Bottle Redemption Fail

by Dave Atkins

I'm not going to bother returning bottles anymore. The last straw for me came this Monday as, after driving around for a couple of weeks with a trunk full of beer bottles rattling on every bump, I finally decided to locate the redemption center I had heard of in Walpole. It is located at 747 Main Street (1A). I've called the phone number many times--no one ever answers, but I figured at 10am on a weekday--they had to be open. I was wrong.

Walpole Redemption Center Hours of Operation

For those who care, the hours of operation are Tuesday-Friday, 9am-4pm and Saturday, 9am-3pm. But be warned...after driving 6 miles down Route 1A, you will be greeted by this sign:

Redemption Center only pays 4 cents

That's right...you will not even get your full 5 cents per bottle because the redemption center takes part of the deposit to pay their operating costs.

Now I know this sounds like an embarrassing waste of time and that's exactly my point. Retailers do not accept bottle and can brands they don't sell. Grocery stores, of course, can't take back beer bottles. My variety of choices means I ended up going to the Blanchards in West Roxbury as the only location that sells all the brands I had. I did net $8 for my trouble, and it was fun to hear all those bottles smashing. But I think, from here on out, I will just just put the bottles out in the recycle bins and hope the people who rummage through them don't wake me up.

Submitted by Dave Atkins on March 9, 2010 - 11:47pm
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Comments

agreed

Submitted by JohnCraine on March 10, 2010 - 7:45am.

I haven't returned a bottle or can in over ten years, I just leave them for recycling. Adopted in 1984, the bottle bill was supposed to reduce trash, and frankly, it did. But the entire implementation of the bottle bill was half-assed from the very beginning because it only applied to carbonated beverages. As the market share for non-carbonated drinks grew the trash started piling up again.  I do see that the Governor has a budget proposal to expand the bottle bill.

http://www.mass.gov/bb/h1/fy10h1/exec10/hbudbrief27.htm

High School Can Drive

Submitted by Joanie Morgan on March 10, 2010 - 8:30am.

I know they run a can and bottle drive at the High School as a fundraiser.  Not sure about beer bottles - maybe someone can clarify here- but don't give up... save them for the kids.

RE: High School Can Drive

Submitted by PJM on March 10, 2010 - 11:33am.

Joanie, they will accept beer bottles/cans, anything that qualifies for a refund.

All-Night Graduation Party Can & Bottle Drives

Submitted by jsharry on March 10, 2010 - 10:42am.

Dave & Joanie-

Thanks to Mary Masi-Phelps for bringing the blog and this issue to my attention.

Westwood Community in Action has produced a drug and alcohol-free all night graduation party for graduating seniors for the past 20 years.

There are several Saturdays a year, advertised in the Westwood Press, at which we collect redeemable cans and bottles from 9am to 12pm on the Nahatan Street side of the high school.

The next two collections for this year are:

March 27

May 15

We welcome all residents to donate their redeemable cans and bottles at these times.  The proceeds provide a substantial amount to defraying the cost of producing the party and we are pleased to provide this service to you.

 Jean Sharry

Co-Chair

WCIA

Cans & Bottles

Submitted by jsharry on March 10, 2010 - 12:55pm.

Yes, we accept any redeemable bottles and cans, preferably rinsed!

Thanks.

Jean

Here's a price no one can beat...literally!

Submitted by GregAgnew on March 11, 2010 - 11:02am.

At the Dedham Square Country Store at 626 High Street in Dedham, bring back your previously used milk bottles from Crescent Ridge Dairy, and you'll get $1.50 back. That's more than any bottle or can redemption center can ever offer you. Sadly, we're not accepting other returns, but will be in the future! 

PS- We're also giving you $0.25 back for your egg cartons and glass jars!

Best, 

Greg Agnew

A great idea

Submitted by JohnCraine on March 13, 2010 - 7:29am.

Greg, I took a look at your website and it finally struck me what a great idea this is - a store built on the concept of the local food movement that supports and promotes the local food economy. Now let's get out there and start promoting it!

check it out tomorrow

Submitted by Dave Atkins on March 13, 2010 - 4:28pm.

We're going to try and drop by tomorrow; maybe I'll even take a photo or two. Readers of the blog might want to check out some past topics here at http://westwoodblog.org/category/topic/sustainability that discussed things like community support agriculture, etc. See the entry about Powisset Farm at http://westwoodblog.org/content/powisset-farm-csa