Is it really worth our time to haul returnables to the store for just 10 cents each? And is it worth it for Michigan's recycling industry to maintain a bottle deposit system when we already have curbside recycling?
See Shelie Miller's "Comprehensive Ealuation of MIchigan's Bottle Deposit System" here
Read more from the Container Recycling Institute here
See a Reloop and CRI study about the impact of bottle deposits on beverage sales here

GUESTS:

Susan Collins, president of the Container Recycling Institute
Shelie Miller, Jonathan W. Bulkley Collegiate Professor of Sustainable Systems at the University of Michigan; co-director, Center for Sustainable Systems

Cover photo by April Van Buren

Want to submit a question to On Hand? Do it here:


Online Submission Form


Call us: 734-764-7840


Email us: onhand@michiganpublic.org

If you like what you hear on the pod, consider supporting our work: michiganpublic.org/podfund

Is it really worth our time to haul returnables to the store for just 10 cents each? And is it worth it for Michigan's recycling industry to maintain a bottle deposit system when we already have curbside recycling?
<ul>
<li>See Shelie Miller's <a href="https://backend.production.deepblue-documents.lib.umich.edu/server/api/core/bitstreams/ed82f581-6b9a-411d-b86a-041382fe81a0/content">"Comprehensive Ealuation of MIchigan's Bottle Deposit System" here</a></li>
<li>Read more from the <a href="https://www.container-recycling.org/">Container Recycling Institute here</a></li>
<li>See a Reloop and CRI <a href="https://www.reloopplatform.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Reloop-Impact-of-DRS-Report.pdf">study about the impact of bottle deposits on beverage sales here</a></li>
</ul>
GUESTS: 
<ul>
<li>Susan Collins, president of the Container Recycling Institute</li>
<li>Shelie Miller, Jonathan W. Bulkley Collegiate Professor of Sustainable Systems at the University of Michigan; co-director, Center for Sustainable Systems</li>
</ul>
Cover photo by April Van Buren
<hr>
Want to submit a question to On Hand? Do it here:
<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.michiganpublic.org/podcast/on-hand/2025-08-14/submit-your-questions">Online Submission Form</a>
</li>
<li>
Call us: 734-764-7840
</li>
<li>
Email us: onhand@michiganpublic.org
</li>
</ul>
If you like what you hear on the pod, consider supporting our work:&nbsp;<a href="http://michiganpublic.org/podfund">michiganpublic.org/podfund</a>

Ever wondered why we call ourselves “Michiganders”? Or why we say “pop” instead of “soda”? Or, seriously, how many people need to be rescued from Sleeping Bear Dunes every year? That’s why we’re bringing you a new podcast - On Hand - to answer all your questions about what makes our state so special.

To share a story or submit your questions, head to michiganpublic.org/onhand

If you like what you hear on the pod, consider supporting our work: michiganpublic.org/podfund

Ever wondered why we call ourselves &ldquo;Michiganders&rdquo;? Or why we say &ldquo;pop&rdquo; instead of &ldquo;soda&rdquo;? Or, seriously, how many people need to be rescued from Sleeping Bear Dunes every year? That&rsquo;s why we&rsquo;re bringing you a new podcast - On Hand - to answer all your questions about what makes our state so special.
To share a story or submit your questions, head to <a href="https://www.michiganpublic.org/podcast/on-hand">michiganpublic.org/onhand</a>
If you like what you hear on the pod, consider <a href="https://michiganpublic.org/podfund">supporting our work</a>: michiganpublic.org/podfund