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37-497: Container deposit legislation (CDL) requires a refundable deposit on certain types of recyclable beverage containers in order to ensure an increased recycling rate. Studies show that the recycling rate for beverage containers is vastly increased with a bottle bill. The United States' overall beverage container recycling rate is approximately 33%, while states with container deposit laws have a 70% average rate of beverage container recycling. Michigan's recycling rate of 97% from 1990 to 2008

74-541: A 2014 dissertation, Sebastian J. Moser stated that it is not poverty that unites the "otherwise very heterogeneous group of bottle collectors, but the longing for a fixed daily structure and a task that is reminiscent of work." Canning activity can also be a source of community in a group often characterized by solitary experiences and disconnection. Income from canning varies widely between individuals. In New York City , where as many as 8,000 people support themselves this way, canning can often bring in over 100 to 200 dollars

111-657: A bidding war between them over the clubs. Elaine ends up paying $ 20,000, twice what she was authorized by Peterman to spend. Elaine leaves the clubs in Jerry's car. Newman learns that bottles and cans can be refunded for 5 cents in New York but 10 cents in Michigan . Kramer tells him it is impossible to gain a profit from depositing bottles in Michigan due to the gas, tollbooth and truck rental fees. However, while crunching

148-439: A big project for him to do, Wilhelm enters the bathroom. George waits outside, but then finds that Wilhelm had been explaining the details of the project in the bathroom, thinking George was there. Afraid to ask Wilhelm to repeat orders again, he instead asks him the best way to get started, and is directed to payroll. However, the payroll clerk knows nothing about the project. He calls Wilhelm to verify, but when George asks him what

185-451: A day for the canner. In Germany, canners earn an average of 100 to 150 euros each month. Another study indicated German canners earn around 3 to 10 euros each day. In addition to income, canners have stated that the activity can be a hobby, for pleasure or productivity, as well as done for the purpose of improving the environment. The sociologist Stefan Sell sees lack of income as the primary motivation for canning. In particular, he noted

222-607: A mechanic obsessed with car care. After examining the car, Tony guilt trips Jerry over his lackadaisical care for it, in particular getting substandard oil changes at Jiffy Lube outlets and not knowing the mileage, and demands he change his ways. Weary of Tony's moralistic harangues, Jerry asks to have his car back so he can take his business elsewhere. Tony says he will bring the car out front, but drives away with it instead. Due to forgetting to take his medication, Mr. Wilhelm completes George's project himself. After finding it complete, he congratulates George on his accomplishment. George

259-399: A normal half-hour time slot episode, ran considerably over the allotted 23 minutes during filming, and was filled out to an hour-long time slot with additional scenes after the producers concluded that editing it down to 23 minutes would be too difficult. Scenes which were added for the second round of filming include the "Downtown" thread, Jerry's talk with the detective, the identification of

296-506: A purchase of 1,000 bottles of bottled water and dumping them out to cash out on the container deposit. A machete-wielding male subject was observed taking a bag of empty cans set aside on the porch in front of the house and was confronted by a neighbor in Medford, Oregon . In July 2020, an Aloha, Oregon transient attacked another man that was scavenging refundable containers in a residential neighborhood to steal his cans. One form of fraud

333-423: A retail store, burglary into a concession stand, welfare fraud, and theft of bagged empties from a private residence. In Salem, Oregon , Douglas McKay High School athletic concession stand was burgled where approximately ten 24 pack cases of beverages were emptied inside the building and empty containers stolen. The vice president of the club suggested the thieves committed the crime of returning empties for cash at

370-489: A ring that produced more than 100 fake bottle slips worth $ 14.40 each. Canner (recycling) A canner participates in canning, the collection and redemption of deposit-marked beverage containers for recycling. Canning is an activity undertaken by individuals or small teams, typically to earn an income. Canning is only possible in nations, states, or municipalities which have enacted container-deposit legislation . The primary aim of container-deposit legislation

407-402: A sharp rise in low-wage jobs , a fall in collective bargaining in many industries and a devaluation of the welfare state model since the early 1990s as causes for the emergence of this practice. In Germany, canners have become symbols of an increasingly poor society. According to the social scientists Catterfeld and Knecht, it is not just the yield in terms of income which gives insight into

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444-410: Is assigned a big project at work but doesn't know what it is and is too ashamed to ask his supervisor for the details. Since he will be out of town, Mr. Peterman asks Elaine to bid for him at a Sotheby's auction on a set of golf clubs once owned by John F. Kennedy . Jerry takes Elaine to the auction, where they bump into Sue Ellen Mischke , Elaine's rival. The two snipe at each other, provoking

481-406: Is mitigation of the environmental impact of materials used in the creation of the containers, especially plastic . Another purpose is to facilitate the recycling of container materials such as glass and aluminum , as well as plastic. As there is a wide variety across different political entities which operate container-deposit programs, in terms of infrastructural support and deposit amount,

518-478: Is puzzled but opts not to question his lucky break. However, when Steinbrenner sees the project he recognizes that the author is certifiably insane, and has George put in a mental institution. While driving the mail truck to Saginaw, Kramer spots Jerry's stolen car on an Ohio highway and alerts Jerry by mobile phone. At Jerry and Elaine's urging, Kramer diverts from the road to Saginaw in order to pursue Jerry's stolen car (with JFK golf clubs still inside) as it exits

555-578: Is redeeming containers brought in from a different state that does not have a deposit or has a lower one. Such a scheme was brought to the awareness of popular culture in the 1990s by the Seinfeld episode " The Bottle Deposit ". In 2022, a family in Oakland redeemed 178 tons of containers brought from Arizona, defrauding the state of $ 7.6 million in deposit payment. In 2017, A Flint man was arrested for buying cans from Indiana to redeem in Michigan, defrauding

592-698: The BottleDrop redemption facility nearby. A Medford, Oregon woman was charged with theft of $ 40 worth of bottled water from Albertsons . A video of the same woman dumping the empty bottles at the BottleDrop facility operated by the Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative has circulated on the Internet. A parolee from Wayne County, New York was charged with illegal exchange/sale of items purchased on food stamps following

629-422: The border into Oregon. Oregon has a deposit and Washington does not. Another form of recycling fraud is actually committing fraud in order to gain a profit. In 2017, a New York ring of 5 was arrested for returning the same bottles twice, as well as other crimes committed to falsely inflate the number of bottles they returned. This ring would also commit bottle smuggling (see above). In 2023, a Sandusky, Michigan man

666-466: The bottle bill requirements as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. There have regularly been campaigns in the early 21st century to introduce container-deposit laws in various U.S. states and territories, or to improve or expand existing legislation, including but not limited to the following initiatives: While bottle bills were originally intended to incentivize people to return their own containers,

703-506: The canners are largely immigrants. About 75 percent of canners at Sure We Can were born outside the United States, with 54 percent of all the canners identifying as Latinx/Hispanic. In Germany, 80–85% of canners are male, and a majority are over the age of 65. The second largest group is young immigrants. Many experience poverty, but homelessness is relatively uncommon. New York City is a hotbed of canning activity, largely due to

740-483: The city's high population density mixed with New York State's current deposit laws. Canning remains a contentious issue in the city, with the canners often facing pushback from the city government, the New York City Department of Sanitation , and recycling collection companies. Sure We Can , a redemption center co-founded by nun Ana Martinez de Luco, is the only canner–friendly redemption center in

777-476: The city, providing lockers and communal space for the canners to sort their collections of redeemables. The Bottle Deposit " The Bottle Deposit " is a two-part episode, the 131st and 132nd episodes, and 21st and 22nd episodes of the seventh season , of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld , first aired on May 2, 1996. It was originally an hour-long episode, but was split into two parts for syndication. The episode

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814-627: The courts have ruled that unclaimed deposits are deemed abandoned by the public and are therefore property of the state. In California and Hawaii uncollected deposits are used to cover the administrative costs of the deposit program. In Iowa and Oregon the beverage distribution industry keeps the unredeemed deposits. Iowa and Oregon's systems are similar and it was found to be highly profitable for beverage distributors in Iowa. Between March 11, 2020, and June 2020, most states with container deposit legislation, except for California and Hawaii, temporarily suspended

851-485: The cultural impact of increased canner visibility during the 2006 World Cup . In New York City, canners are an ethnically diverse community, with the vast majority of them living below the poverty line . Among canners at Sure We Can , a redemption center in Brooklyn, around 25 percent of the canners are over the age of 60, 7 percent are physically disabled, and 5 percent experience chronic homelessness. In Brooklyn,

888-659: The economic viability of canning as an income-generating activity varies from municipality to municipality. In 2012, the German Federal Environment Agency reported that 96% of deposit-market containers were returned via their program. Canners, or those who collect and redeem deposit-marked beverage containers, are a familiar sight in many cities, whether combing areas following major events, searching through trash containers, or transporting their collected bottles and cans to redemption sites. Sociologists have made several observations about canning. In

925-401: The farm house, just before they are both chased away due to Newman having a sexual liaison with the farmer's daughter. Elaine gives the golf clubs, several of which were bent during the hot pursuit, to Mr. Peterman. He assumes their battered state is due to Kennedy venting his frustration on the golf course. Like most two-part Seinfeld episodes, "The Bottle Deposit" was originally conceived as

962-507: The fee further, to 10¢, being abandoned. Opponents have characterized bottle bills as a form of taxation. Proponents countered by saying consumers could voluntarily get the money back, although $ 125 million USD in unclaimed deposits are collected yearly by the New York State government alone. Numerous instances of criminal offenses have occurred motivated by the cash refund value of empty containers, such as theft of cases of water from

999-468: The highway. Struggling to keep up, Kramer dumps their bottles, cans, mail bags, and ultimately, Newman himself to make the truck move faster. Newman finds his way to a farmer's house, and is offered hospitality. As Kramer continues his chase, Tony throws all of the JFK golf clubs and the golf bag itself at him, putting the mail truck out of commission. Kramer collects the discarded clubs and meets up with Newman at

1036-552: The numbers for himself, Newman recalls that there will be a surge of mail the week before Mother's Day to be sorted in Saginaw, Michigan . He signs up for a mail truck that will carry spillover mail from the four main trucks, leaving plenty of space for bottles and cans to refund in Michigan, and thereby avoiding truck rental fees. Newman and Kramer set off collecting and stealing cans and bottles. Mr. Wilhelm scolds George for needing to have orders repeated to him. While talking of

1073-482: The original bottle bill was passed. This has led to calls to replace the cash rewards with food assistance or store credit instead in order to acknowledge the bills' actual use as a social service program, and prevent the money from being spent on illicit goods. While noted as drastically increasing recycling rates, controversy arose in jurisdictions such as New York as to whether the bottle deposit fees place an undue burden on consumers. This has led to attempts to raise

1110-431: The phenomenon of canning. Another factor is availability of materials, or the readiness of consumers to leave bottles and cans in places accessible by canners. In Germany, shifts in public perception over time resulted in more material being offered by consumers specifically to canners, and a shift in the perceived social stigma of canning as an occupation. These shifts have been attributed to shifts in legislation, as well as

1147-498: The project is, he thinks George is berating him for not immediately believing him. Wilhelm asks if George has gone downtown for the project yet, and mentions "the song". Thinking he means the Petula Clark song " Downtown ", George and Jerry try to decipher the lyrics, but to no avail. Jerry's car breaks down because Kramer and Newman, who had borrowed the car, left their groceries in the engine compartment. He takes it to Tony,

Container deposit legislation in the United States - Misplaced Pages Continue

1184-412: The redemption value is often too low for them to bother. This has led to bottle redemption evolving into a lifeline for low-income people and the homeless. Debate arose as to whether canners , people who collect and redeem bottles and cans for a living, should be considered a legitimate part of society and the economy, or whether they are contributing to open-air drug markets in places such as Oregon, where

1221-616: The system out of more than $ 1k. In 2023, a Los Angeles ring was arrested in a bust worth more than $ 4.3 million. In 2007, 13 out of 15 people in a Detroit ring were arrested in a bust called "Operation Can Scam" worth more than $ 500k. In 2017, a New York ring of 5 was arrested for smuggling bottles and cans from New Jersey to New York, amongst other crimes involving recycling. In 2018, the Washington transit agency C-Tran banned large bags of empty bottles and cans on its buses due to issues with passengers bringing them onto bus lines that cross

1258-432: The wrecked car, Kramer and Newman singing a parody of " 99 Bottles of Beer ", Newman's dinner with the farmer and his daughter, and the scene in the insane asylum. The farmer's daughter's cry of "Goodbye, Norman! Goodbye!" at the end of the episode was not as scripted. Actress Karen Lynn Scott misremembered Newman's name, but the Seinfeld team decided the goof made the scene funnier, so it was kept in. Newman's first name

1295-404: Was arrested for returning fake bottle slips, and is suspected of being connected to a large scheme also targeting Lapeer, Bay City, and other cities. In 2019, a Grand Rapids group of 5 was arrested for returning photocopied bottle slips at numerous Meijer stores in a bust worth thousands of dollars. Using a Eugene taco bell as their office, 2 men were arrested and more are suspected to be involved in

1332-550: Was the highest in the nation, as is its $ 0.10 deposit. Numerous instances of criminal offenses motivated by the cash refund value of empty containers have been reported. Proponents of container deposit legislation have pointed to the small financial responsibilities of the states. Financing these programs are the responsibility of the beverage industry and consumers. Producers are responsible for disposing of returned products, while consumers are responsible for collecting their refunds. In Connecticut, Maine, Michigan, and Massachusetts

1369-475: Was written by Gregg Kavet and Andy Robin , and directed by Andy Ackerman . In this episode, Newman and Kramer launch a scheme to redeem empty bottles and cans in Michigan for a total of ten cents each, five cents higher than in New York. This leads to a car chase after running into a mechanic who stole Jerry's car, which also contains a set of golf clubs formerly owned by John F. Kennedy which Elaine's boss purchased at an auction. Meanwhile, George

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