New Bedford, Massachusetts – January 11, 2026 14:18:00 — Residents of Massachusetts are hoping for a faster way to redeem bottle and can deposits after learning about a new redemption machine launched in Michigan.
A new bottle redemption machine in Michigan is quickly processing returns, sparking calls for similar technology in Massachusetts, where current options can be time-consuming.
- A resident of New Bedford, Massachusetts, highlighted the inconvenience of current bottle and can return processes.
- A new machine in Michigan rapidly processes returns, a potential solution to long wait times.
- Massachusetts residents are expressing a desire for similar technology to streamline the redemption process.
Returning bottles and cans for their deposit value is a common New Year’s tradition for one Massachusetts resident, who finds himself accumulating “giant trash bags jammed with countless cans of Sprite” throughout the year. The volume is so large, he explained, that it barely fits in the back of his GMC Yukon.
He typically brings his returns to Can King, a redemption center on Tarkiln Hill Road in New Bedford, where most centers receive a processing fee for accepting the containers, and some offer a four-cent return instead of the standard five-cent deposit. While grocery store machines offer the full five cents, he finds them “torturous” due to the slow, one-at-a-time process.
The resident was prompted to consider a better solution after learning from a “radio friend in Michigan” about a newly launched bottle redemption machine at a chain of grocery stores. The machine, as shown in a video, quickly processes large volumes of bottles and cans, offering a significant time-saving benefit.
Tommy McNeil/Townsquare Media
What This Means for You
For Massachusetts residents who diligently collect and return bottles and cans, the introduction of faster redemption machines could save significant time and effort. The current process, particularly at grocery stores, can be tedious and time-consuming, especially for those with large volumes of returns. The availability of such technology could incentivize greater participation in recycling programs and reduce the burden on redemption centers like Can King.
The resident expressed hope that Massachusetts will adopt similar machines, and asked readers to share information if they have already encountered them in the state.
Most redemption centers get paid a processing fee to accept bottles and cans, and some offer four cents per bottle instead of the typical five-cent deposit.
Time.news based this report in part on reporting by fun107.com and wgrd.com and added independent analysis and context.
