Then there were 3...

[TiltonBB]

Originally Posted by upthesaukee

Growing up in MA more than 50 yrs ago, we picked bottles up and turned them in to get enough money for a soda and a candy bar.

Dave

I don't think so. The deposit law passed in Massachusetts 37 years ago.

"The Massachusetts Bottle Bill (Mass. Bills H.2943/S.1588) is a container-deposit legislation dealing with recycling in the United States that originally passed in the U.S. state of Massachusetts in 1982 as the Beverage Container Recovery Law."

[fatlazyless]

Back in the early 1960's, I can remember taking green quart glass bottles of Canada Dry ginger ale back to the store, for a refund of 2-cents or 5-cents, depending on size, in the Boston and Nantasket areas. It was not required by Massachusetts law, and was just done that way for years and years and years with glass bottles, placed into all wood, bottle racks, and sent back to the bottler for cleaning and refill with a new bottle cap.

People would save their empty glass soda bottles for a month or two before taking them all back to the store. For some unknown reason, there were no returnable, hard liquor glass bottles? Maybe glass beer bottles were returnable?

Those were the days of Cub Scout bottle drives, where the local Cub Scout packs would hit the neighborhood, go knock on doors, and ask for empty glass soda and beer(?) bottles. People would rinse them out, otherwise they attracted bugs while sitting in the back porch, or somewhere.

[P-3 Guy]

Originally Posted by TiltonBB

I don't think so. The deposit law passed in Massachusetts 37 years ago.

"The Massachusetts Bottle Bill (Mass. Bills H.2943/S.1588) is a container-deposit legislation dealing with recycling in the United States that originally passed in the U.S. state of Massachusetts in 1982 as the Beverage Container Recovery Law."

Before the law was passed in Massachusetts, some bottling companies ran their own redemption program. So, I think what upthesaukee is describing was certainly possible in Massachusetts more than 50 years ago.

[Top-Water]

Originally Posted by TMI Guy

Before the law was passed in Massachusetts, some bottling companies ran their own redemption program. So, I think what upthesaukee is describing was certainly possible in Massachusetts more than 50 years ago.

Correct

If ?? I am remembering correctly you could get .02 cents per glass bottle in the mid 1960's before they passed the bottle & can redemption laws we are familiar with today.

I only seem to remember it being available for the old tall green coke bottles.


Worth $55.00 now
https://www.ebay.com/i/153149500088?chn=ps

or ....... $2,400.00 for 200 bottles
https://www.ebay.com/itm/200-COCA-CO...frcectupt=true

[wobbelbill]

Originally Posted by TiltonBB

I don't think so. The deposit law passed in Massachusetts 37 years ago.

"The Massachusetts Bottle Bill (Mass. Bills H.2943/S.1588) is a container-deposit legislation dealing with recycling in the United States that originally passed in the U.S. state of Massachusetts in 1982 as the Beverage Container Recovery Law."

Growing up in 50s and 60s -long before the "bottle bill" it certainly was possible-and if you lived near a grocery store and package store you could return almost every type bottle and pocket the (what seemed at the time) the wealth!

In last decade seems that many of bottle return companies have closed making it tougher for Massdachusettsians to turn in recyclables; I have heard the company "take" was a penny a unit to handle, and it was too little

[Biggd]

Originally Posted by wobbelbill

Growing up in 50s and 60s -long before the "bottle bill" it certainly was possible-and if you lived near a grocery store and package store you could return almost every type bottle and pocket the (what seemed at the time) the wealth!

In last decade seems that many of bottle return companies have closed making it tougher for Massdachusettsians to turn in recyclables; I have heard the company "take" was a penny a unit to handle, and it was too little

I had one next door to my shop in Woburn but when their lease expired it closed as the owner remodeled the building and jacked up the rent.

But honestly I'm glad it's gone because it was patronized mostly by drunks. They would be there early in the morning turning in their empties then head over to the package store and wait for it to open at 10am.

The air is a little fresher too now that the smell of stale beer from the empties is gone.

[webmaster]

Originally Posted by TiltonBB

I don't think so. The deposit law passed in Massachusetts 37 years ago.

"The Massachusetts Bottle Bill (Mass. Bills H.2943/S.1588) is a container-deposit legislation dealing with recycling in the United States that originally passed in the U.S. state of Massachusetts in 1982 as the Beverage Container Recovery Law."

There were definitely deposits on many glass bottles in Massachusetts before the Bottle Bill. When I was about 12 years old we used to go door to door with our wagons, offer to take their bottles and we'd take a load to A&P. That money paid for laps at the Slot Car (remember those?) track. That was about 53 years ago.

[Orion]

Originally Posted by webmaster

There were definitely deposits on many glass bottles in Massachusetts before the Bottle Bill. When I was about 12 years old we used to go door to door with our wagons, offer to take their bottles and we'd take a load to A&P. That money paid for laps at the Slot Car (remember those?) track. That was about 53 years ago.

We must be close in age because I did the same things! And I used to hitchhike to the local slot car track.

[webmaster]

Originally Posted by Orion

We must be close in age because I did the same things! And I used to hitchhike to the local slot car track.

Slot car racing was BIG back then. For anyone too young to remember here's some video:

[garysanfran]

Originally Posted by webmaster

Slot car racing was BIG back then. For anyone too young to remember here's some video:

And everyone got a trophy!!!

Not a loser in the bunch and lots of mustaches...

What fun!

[Orion]

Originally Posted by garysanfran

And everyone got a trophy!!!

Not a loser in the bunch and lots of mustaches...

What fun!

Nope, back then you actually had to EARN a trophy! What a concept.

[Biggd]

Originally Posted by webmaster

Slot car racing was BIG back then. For anyone too young to remember here's some video:

As was hitch hiking. When was the last time you saw a hitch hiker and why would anyone pick one up today?