Oregon Store Owners Can Refuse To Accept Bottle Returns After 8 p.m. if Governor Approves

Oregon store owners can refuse to accept bottle returns after 8 p.m. thanks to a new bill that passed both the Senate and the House with majority votes and now waits for Governor Tina Kotek to sign it into law.

Cash for Bottle Returns is a Reliable Source of Income for Many

The bottle redemption law has become a reliable source of income for thousands of Oregonians, not only those saving to further their studies, but also for the state’s thousands of homeless residents.

However, in recent months many residents and business owners have raised fears for their safety because, until now, bottle redemption sites could accept returns during business hours, irrespective of the time of night.

Redemption Sites Operating Late at Night Caused Fears for Safety Among Many Residents

This raised alarm bells with many citizens who feared for their safety, saying redemption sites had become targets for drug addicts and homeless people.

Portland residents were particularly concerned about the redemption sites in Northeast Portland and adjacent to Delta Park in North Portland. The new bill addresses this issue by calling for public input to the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission before approval of new redemption sites anywhere in Oregon.

Consumers pay a 10-cent deposit on selected beverages, bottled or canned, which they can redeem for a cash return at relevant stores or redemption sites.

Consumers can choose to create an account into which their refunds are deposited, or they can opt for cash returns.

How the New Bill Changes Existing Legislation

This is how Senate Bill 992 changes the existing bottle bill.

In Portland, grocery store owners will no longer have to accept the return of beverage containers. Instead, they can opt to use an alternative redemption site.

Should metropolitan grocery stores continue offering a redemption service, they can refuse to hand-count individual containers and only accept beverage containers pre-bundled in designated blue (for charity) or green bags (for private accounts) which would be collected and counted at a redemption site.

Portland, with its large homeless community and drug trafficking offenses taking place openly on public streets, will be better protected by the bill which allows for the creation of mobile redemption options, such as trucks traveling to various neighborhoods.

Nonprofit organizations could also operate daily redemption sites to alleviate pressure on retailers, especially small businesses in downtown Portland.

This concession will allow stores to refuse or limit returns, while convenience stores can stop offering a redemption service after 6 p.m.

Oregon Has More Than One Million Bottle Redemption Account Holders

Oregon has more than one million bottle drop program account holders, according to program operators, the Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative.

Since its inception in 1971, the bottle bill has effectively reduced pollution and protected state beaches, public spaces, and the ocean.

In its annual report last year, the cooperative said hundreds of thousands of Oregonians use the cash earned from redemptions to save for college, for disabilities, and to pay for food.