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The Bottle Bill & Redemption Centers
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Article Content
COVID-19 Update
The OLCC will not issue stores a notice of violation for not accepting empty beverage containers returns from March 15, 2020 - April 30, 2020.
In light of the COVID-19 outbreak, the concerns about maintaining on-site redemption and collection areas is taking increasing amounts of time away from in store customer service, supply re-stocking, store cleaning, and managing social distancing. Stores have requested relief from container redemption in order to shift employees to focus on the unusually high customer traffic. Providing temporary relief through this action will allow grocers greater flexibility to more effectively manage and maintain a safe and healthy store environment.
BottleDrop redemption centers, operated by the Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative (OBRC), will remain open. OBRC will also continue to operate BottleDrop Express drop sites and dealer redemption centers.
Sign up for email alerts to be notified about news affecting the Bottle Bill by clicking this link.
Other Bottle Bill Updates
Hard Seltzers and Kombuchas
With the passage of Senate Bill 247, effective September 29, 2019, all hard seltzers and kombuchas are included in the Bottle Bill and have an Oregon 10-cent refund value if in metal, glass, or plastic bottles or cans in sizes 3 liters or less. Manufacturers have until January 1, 2021 to ensure that OR 10¢
is clearly indicated on hard seltzer and kombucha containers. Even if the containers do not have OR 10¢ on them, a deposit may be charged on them and they are redeemable.
Mandatory Reporting Requirements
Effective
January 1, 2020, ORS 459A.718 requires all distributors and importers to
register the beverage containers they sold and redeemed in Oregon with the
Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative (OBRC) every calendar year. A letter explaining the change was mailed to many businesses that
have the ability to sell beverages that have an Oregon refund value.
Milk
At a special meeting in January 2020, the OLCC initiated
rulemaking to rescind rules adopted at their December 2019 meeting that
narrowed the definitions of “milk” and “plant-based milk” to give the industry
time to come up with a workable solution for accepting these empty
containers. Until the new rulemaking is complete, manufacturers,
retailers, and redemption centers may continue to apply the prior (pre-December
2019) definition of milk to beverage containers, which includes cultured milk
such as kefir and buttermilk.
Dealer Redemption Centers
The 2019 Oregon Legislature established dealer redemption centers (DRCs) and set out their requirements in ORS 459A.741. DRCs, or partner retailers, are stores that have partnered with BottleDrop and provide a drop off location for BottleDrop bags. Not every bag drop-off location is a DRC. A DRC will have a sign posted near the drop door that will identify it as a dealer redemption center. The store will also have an OLCC notice posted in its container return area (which is not necessarily near the drop door) identifying it as a DRC and indicating that the store may limit returns to 24 containers per person per day.
DRCs must have their drop doors available for the return of green and blue bags from 8 AM to 8 PM if the stores are open during those hours. BottleDrop account holders will not be charged a processing fee for bags deposited at a DRC, and those bags will not count toward the 15 bag per quarter limit for green bags. All other BottleDrop terms and conditions apply.
Stores with a DRC must continue to accept container returns outside BottleDrop’s green and blue bag account programs at all hours the stores are open, but may limit these returns to 24 containers per person per day. These returns would be by hand count or through a self-service machine.
DRCs can be in a city of any size. In most cases, the establishment of a DRC does not affect the number of containers that stores in their proximity must accept. However, if a DRC is established in a town with a population of less than 10,000, stores within a one-mile radius of the DRC can also limit returns to 24 containers per person per day if they meet certain requirements.
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You can sign up for email alerts to be
notified about rule changes and other changes to the Bottle Bill by clicking this link.
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Oregon’s Bottle Bill establishes laws that require stores
and distributors to accept certain empty beverage containers and pay a 10-cent
refund value for each container. All
stores under 5,000 square feet in size must accept container returns. Most stores 5,000 or more square feet in size
must also accept container returns.
Stores that do not have to accept container returns are listed in the
Zone 1 column in the Redemption Centers - Complete List found below. Stores that must accept container returns
must accept them on all days and at all hours they are open, whether they have
reverse vending machines for accepting the containers or not.
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Please let us know if you have questions or concerns about current
Bottle Bill services, including issues with returning your beverage
containers to retailers or BottleDrop Redemption Centers.
Customer Feedback Form
Bottle Bill Checklist for License Applicants and Licensees
Back to TopBottle Bill Inquiries for Retailers and Businesses
Retailers in Oregon who sell or offer for sale beverages included in the
Bottle Bill must in most cases accept container returns. Use this form
to provide information on your business so OLCC staff can determine if
you must accept container returns, and if you must how many and what
types. Staff will email you the sign appropriate for your business,
along with other information for helping you to be in compliance with
Oregon’s Bottle Bill.
Bottle Bill Inquiries for Retailers and Businesses
Redemption Centers
Applications Received & Public Notices
There are currently no Public Notices or Applications for Redemption Centers.
Redemption Center Application Form
Any person may establish a redemption center, subject to the
approval of the OLCC, at which people may return empty beverage containers and
receive payment of the 10-cent refund value of those containers.
Redemption centers must provide a convenient service for the
return of empty beverage containers. Redemption centers must also serve
participating grocery stores that are 5,000 or more square feet in size and
located in up to two convenience zones. Each person responsible for the
operation of one or more redemption centers shall pay an annual registration
fee of $3,000 per redemption center to the OLCC.
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