Michigan Suspends Bottle and Can Return Due To Coronavirus
Michigan is one of many states that have decided to suspend bottle deposit return due to the Coronavirus.
The decision came down after Governor Whitmer made her Stay Home, Stay Safe announcement. According to the Free Press, The Michigan Beer and Wine Wholesalers Association, Midwest Independent Retailers Association and Michigan Retailers Association say stores shouldn’t accept bottle returns in line with the order. A press release described the motivation behind the move.
The COVID-19 virus can live on surfaces for several days, putting our employees and their loved ones at risk each time they collect empty beverage containers, this is part of our ongoing effort to ensure our employees are able to carry out their jobs in the safest manner possible while doing our part to comply with the governor’s recent orders
There will still be a ten cent deposit charge on applicable bottles, because the suspended return policy is only temporary. Once the Stay Home order is lifted, it is expected that bottle return in Michigan will return to normal.