It's just one of those things that makes Michigan, well, Michigan! We all know that thanks to the state's 10 cent deposit, each of our cans is worth one dime when you make that return to the store. If you drink much pop or beer, you also know that those dimes can add up pretty quickly. But a Northern Michigan mom and her son say their can collecting isn't paying off. They had questions. The answers I found for them are the subject of this Fact Finder.

      With a smile, Andrea Kasper explains when it comes to finding cans for their deposit, its just not that hard, "I guess, they are everywhere form the disc golf course to around the neighborhood, out on back roads, they are everywhere." In fact, Andrea and her son Kole are doing their part, and then some to keep, pop cans from littering up Northern Michigan. Andrea says "last year we did it a lot more often. We were out there several times and a week, but really it’s whenever the opportunity arises."

     They do it for the environment, to keep the roads they drive clean, and also for that dime deposit. The way Andrea sees it, in this economy, every dime helps, "I can't see passing them up. I mean that’s just money laying on the side of the road."

     If you’re like Andrea, and you find a lot of cans, you’re bound to find to some that are less than perfect. Often times the cans are smashed flat, maybe a little rusty, or at least dented, which makes getting the deposit back on them difficult. (To read more about Michigan's Deposit Law click here.) 

     Pouring out bag after bag, Andrea claims she has close to 1000 crushed cans she found along the road in the past year. At a dime a piece, that's around $100 in refunds. The problem with getting that payout is that the automatic machines  won't accept crushed or flattened cans. They can't read the bar codes on the cans, or if flattened enough, the cans won't even fit into the machine's opening. So if the machines won't take them, why not just return them to places that still do it the old fashioned way?

     Andrea says "the small party stores will accept some, but they will in turn be getting ripped off."  It turns out small, non-machine retailers don't want crushed cans because they get paid by the distributor $24 for a bag full of normal cans. If they fill up the bag with crushed ones instead of nice round one, it takes a lot more cans to reach the fill line; the problem is the retailer still gets paid the same $24.

     Andrea hasn't given up, but has tried just about everything,” I have contacted the distributors themselves, Pepsi. Pretty much I am getting the run around I think. There is not one place that will take them. It’s a catch-22, it’s against the law to pitch them, but no one wants to take them back."

     Andrea has even looked at selling the cans for scrap metal, but at 50 cents a pound, she essentially would be giving up around $95 in possible deposit refunds. Before she does that she wanted to make sure that she had explored every possibility. That's why she called me.

     I made some phone calls for Andrea to the Michigan Department of Treasury. They oversee the bottle deposit program. I explained to them the situation. That Andrea would like to get the deposit for the cans, but at the same time, doesn't want to see her local retailer end up getting under paid for them.  They told me, crushed or not, if a store sells the brand, and if the cans are clean, the store has to pay you for the can. So Andrea, according to the Treasury Department, is protected by the law and should get paid her $100. That's good news for Andrea, but is that bad news than for stores? Does the store then loose out? No, legally, pop and beer distributors have to buy the cans, crushed or not, from the stores and pay them a dime a piece for them. Distributors can request that stores separate the crushed cans out into separate containers.  So by law, everyone in this case should get what they are owed.

      That's the policy at least. As we all know, sometimes reality and what is on paper are two very different things. Andrea still need find a retailer that would be willing to deal with a large quantity of cans. I made some phone calls to Meijer corporate headquarters. I explained to them the situation, and asked if they would be willing to work on a solution for an extraordinary set of circumstances. A Meijer spokesperson told me the corporation was impressed with Andrea's commitment to keeping our environment healthy and the responsible lesson she is teaching her son about stewardship. They said that in cases like this, every situation would have to be addressed on an individual basis. After evaluating the cans and determining their source, Meijer was able to make an exception to their $25 return policy, make good on Andrea's wishes to finally get the cans out of her garage, and in the process, help this single working mom put a little money back in her pocket for doing her part in keeping Northern Michigan beautiful.  

     What do you think? Please leave a comment below.