What happens to the deposit money paid on bottles and cans that never get returned?
A. If someone litters or throws a deposit container in the trash, they lose the deposit they paid on that container. In seven states, the beverage distributor who initiated the deposit gets to keep these unredeemed deposits. In two states, the unredeemed deposits become the property of the state. In Michigan, 75% goes to the state and 25% goes to the retailers as compensation for redeeming and handling the containers. In Massachusetts, all of the unredeemed deposits go into the states Clean Environment Fund.
