Bottle Bill Resource Guide

Michigan Bottle Bill History

 Original Law1989 Amendment2008 AmendmentsCurrent Law
Name Michigan Beverage Container Act
Purpose To reduce roadside litter, clean up the environment, and conserve energy and natural resources
Enacted 11/2/1976   2008, various dates  
Implemented 12/3/1978 7/27/1989 various dates  
Beverages Covered Beer, soft drink, carbonated and mineral water Added wine coolers and canned cocktails   Beer, soft drinks, carbonated & mineral water, wine coolers, canned cocktails
Containers Covered Any airtight metal, glass, paper, or plastic container, or a combination, under 1 gallon     Any airtight metal, glass, paper, or plastic container, or a combination, under 1 gallon
Amount of Deposit Refillables 5¢; Non-refillables 10¢ Changed to 10¢ for all container types   10¢
Redemption Rate   CY '14 94.2% [a]
Reclamation System Retail stores     Retail stores
Unredeemed Deposits   Entitled retailers to 25% of unclaimed deposits   75% to state for envt'l programs, 25% to retailers 
Handling Fee None     None
Notes     Requires a machine-readable state-specific mark to be printed on most beverage containers indicating to RVMs whether the container is redeemable; increases penalties for fraudulent redemption.  

Footnotes

[a] Source: Michigan Department of Treasury, Bottle Deposit Information Chart, 1990-2014. [pdf]