Chief Cook and Bottle-washer

[jamesq]

I took in my bottles to the bottle depot today. It took an absurd amount of time.

I got there around 9:30, figuring I'd get into work about 30 minutes later. Not a bad assumption when you consider that the bottle depot is across the street from my building. Nope. I got out at 11:50.

First, I waited in line for about an hour. In that time the line did not move at all. Then the three people in front of me (with fairly small loads) were processed.

Next, I get in and got the slow, OCD counter. Counting my bottles took over an hour.

Total returns? $55.05. Given my current wages, it would have cost me less if I'd simply given my bottles to one of the winos in line. "Here pal, use the funds to buy something nicer then Chateau Ordures".

When I was a kid taking the bottles in was a treat. As long as I collect the empties during my dad's parties and kept them out from underfoot, I got to keep the funds. Imagine, $50 to a kid in the seventies! I was rich beyond the dreams of avarice! Now it's just a huge chore. I'd give them to K, except that would make it a chore for K's parents. Maybe when she's old enough to walk a few kilometers unsupervised.

At least I have room in the garage for the sale now.

Comments

[conejita-diabla.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I do everything in power to avoid going to that depot. It's always hideously, painfully slow. It's almost certainly faster for you to drive to any of the others than go to the one right there.

[jamesq]

That very thought crossed my mind several times while in line. Next time I'm going to Crowfoot.

[mallt.livejournal.com]

I'm hoping the scouts or some such will come round soon.

[hadriel.livejournal.com]

I can't handle varsity at all anymore, Crowfoot is the way to go. I have never had to wait very long there.

[thebrucie.livejournal.com]

I just drop mine in the bin at the VRRI, the money goes to a good cause and I don't have to wait in line. took 2 minutes with small car load. And you can do it after hours.

[jamesq]

Giving it to the winos is a good cause too.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_thwap_/]

every few weeks or so they leave a message on my doorstep saying they'll be by to collect.. next time, I'll send you their contact info if you like...

[ladyerwyn.livejournal.com]

Here in the States every grocery store takes them and the convenience stores. Small stores you just take them in the back and tell them how many you brought in and they give you your money. In the super markets they have counting machines that print a receipt which you give to the cashier. We get .10 in Michigan.

[thebrucie.livejournal.com]

So what you need to do is take it down to the downtown bottle depot, pile them up in a corner in the parking lot and drive away!

[thebrucie.livejournal.com]

I remember that from living down there way back in the day, it was very convenient, especially for a kid. I remember bringing a bag of bottle to the store to buy penny candy, and having the clerks get pissed at you cuz they had to count them and put them away.

[thebrucie.livejournal.com]

BTW, love the ICON.

Some provinces laws

[(Anonymous)]

Some provinces/cities actualy require any store that sells bottles with deposits to actually refund them as well. I can't off the top of my head remember them, but I think Montreal and at least parts os BC are two.

If they do not take them back they can be fined. Even if the recyler (part of BC) wont come to thier store to pic up the bottles.

[ladyerwyn.livejournal.com]

Yes, very convenient. We have a lot of pop drinkers and alcoholics and they come into the stores every week or every month with their returns. When I have bottles and cans they build up a lot. Apparently not as much as Quixote though, 'cause when I took mine in last I only had about $20 in bottles and cans.

Also most homeowners get recycling pickup like garbage pickup. You sort your recycling and put it out to the curb like trash and they come by and pick it up. Unfortunately my apartment complex doesn't get recycling and I don't have the space to sort and store it until I get off my lazy bum and find some place to take it. I don't know of any recycling centers, but I'm sure they must exist.

I've also heard that the gov't or something is trying to crack down on some recyclers that are just dumping the recycling, because it's cheaper than actually recycling.

[thebrucie.livejournal.com]

We have recycling centres here, they're starting curbside pick up in the new year which is pissing a lot of people who recycle off, because they'll be paying a premium for pick-up because everyone else is too lazy to do it themselves, and probably won't sort anyway when it does start.