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Local brewery manager says registered cans were turned away at redemption centers; commission urges state follow‑up
Summary
A distribution director for a local craft brewery told Middletown's Recycling Advisory Commission she and other brewers are seeing craft beer and some seltzer containers rejected at redemption centers despite registered barcodes; staff said the state oversees bottle‑bill compliance and the Connecticut Brewers Guild is involved.
A representative from a local craft brewery told the Middletown Recycling Advisory Commission on Aug. 26 that redemption centers and reverse‑vending machines have recently denied returns of some craft beer and seltzer containers despite producers registering barcodes.
"I've gone to 2 redemption centers in the past week and been denied an entire bag of the cans," the speaker said, describing repeated denials despite asserting her company's compliance with registration requirements.
Commission recycling coordinator Kim O'Rourke said callers have raised complaints that redemption centers are refusing certain containers. O'Rourke said the commission refers many bottle‑bill questions to the state, because bottle‑bill operations and enforcement fall under state jurisdiction.
The brewery distributor said she registers every barcode that leaves her building and maintains accounts with reverse‑vending‑machine operators, but she still experienced rejections at two machines and has engaged the Connecticut Brewers Guild and the state representative who works on the program to try to resolve the problem.
Why it matters: If registered containers are being rejected, consumers and small producers face inconvenience and potential financial loss. O'Rourke said a state official oversees the bottle‑bill program and referred complainants there; the commission discussed whether mobile or pop‑up redemption events might help residents who face barriers accessing standard redemption centers.
What commissioners asked for: Kim said she would check with mobile collection vendors (iRecycle) to explore whether special events or transfer‑station days could help residents redeem difficult containers. The commission also discussed how increased deposit values and broader awareness have produced heavier redemption center traffic.
