How can Returning Your Bottles and Cans Help Michigan’s Environment?

It’s up to everyone to help keep Michigan’s natural environment clean, and when you are looking for a good way to help out, there’s no better way to get involved than by returning empty bottles and cans. Introducing the deposit system in 1978, Michigan was one of the first states to adopt a bottle and can return system. Since then, the bottle and can deposit systems have been instrumental in preserving Michigan’s most important natural resource: its environment. If you are wondering just how much returning your bottles and cans can help the environment, here are some things you should know.

Helping to Reduce the Amount of Plastic and Aluminum Used

Every bottle and can returned matters. Not only does recycling your bottles and cans help to cut down on the amount of recyclable aluminum, plastic, and glass that are lost as waste, but they also help to reduce the resources used in the manufacturing of new bottles and cans. With 100% of returned cans and bottles used to make new containers, returning your empties Helps to preserve the environment by reducing the quantity of natural materials used in the manufacturing process.

Reducing Michigan’s Carbon Footprint

When you return your empty bottles and cans, you aren’t just helping to reduce the amount of resources lost to waste. Recycling your empty beverage containers also helps to reduce the amount of carbon emissions that are sent into the atmosphere during the manufacture of plastics, glass, and aluminum. Helping to generate clean materials through closed-loop recycling, recycling your bottles and cans is one of the best ways to help reduce your carbon footprint!

Cutting Down on Litter Statewide

Michigan’s bottle and can deposit system has helped to keep Michigan’s natural environments, roadsides, and more looking their best by reducing litter. With a 10-cent deposit system helping to incentivize returning empty glass, aluminum, and plastic drink containers, Michigan’s can and bottle return systems have helped to halve the amount of litter generated since its implementation in 1978.

From reducing the amount of waste, litter, and carbon released into the environment, recycling your empty bottles and cans does a lot to help preserve Michigan’s environment. If you are looking to learn more on how you can get involved, or if you would like to learn more on how Michigan’s bottle and can return systems work to help the environment, we invite you to contact us at Take Em Back Today!