Can marks for deposited soda containers

Thread Starter

BMorse

Joined Sep 26, 2009
2,675
I have been working on a project for work, and I needed to know from other members that do not reside in Michigan if they have seen these types of mark on the bottom of aluminum soda or beer cans... if anyone has seen this mark (shown circled in red in the pics) please post a picture of it on here and what state you are in, especially if the can has an imprint on the top that says MI 10c ..... This is really Important to the the refinement of Michigan's deposit Laws, and to help deter fraudulent redemption's here in our State... so any input from members would be truly appreciated...

CAN MARKS IN MI.jpg


PS. the title is supposed to say containers... a little dyslexic this morning... (Thanks for the fix Bertus :) )
B. Morse
 
Last edited:

Thread Starter

BMorse

Joined Sep 26, 2009
2,675
Tn doesn't have those markings, nor do we have a deposit on cans.

It doesn't matter if the state you are in has a deposit law or not, I just wanted to see how wide spread this particular marking are on these items...
 

Thread Starter

BMorse

Joined Sep 26, 2009
2,675
I see one was a coke ... what were the other two brands?
They should be on almost all major brands, Pepsi, Coke, 7-Up... or should I say, the mark is supposed to be only for cans bought and sold in MI. but my father was just down in Texas and he said he seen a few cans labeled with the MI 10C mark and the marking on the bottom... I just wanted to try and verify this.

B. Morse
 

maxpower097

Joined Feb 20, 2009
816
Florida Coke Original and Sprite Zero do not have that mark. Just a date code like:

MAR1411ORC
18421

Also its going to depend on the distributers. Coke has hundreds of them all across the country. So when you have too many produced in MN, they will ship them where they don't have enough like texas, etc.... I would imagine you will find them spread out all around the country. But only in small batches as emergency stock.
 

Wendy

Joined Mar 24, 2008
23,415
None here. I'm loopy from lack of sleep, I thought the pictures were engraved "000" until I clicked on the images.
 

Thread Starter

BMorse

Joined Sep 26, 2009
2,675
<snip>
Also its going to depend on the distributers. Coke has hundreds of them all across the country. So when you have too many produced in MN, they will ship them where they don't have enough like texas, etc.... I would imagine you will find them spread out all around the country. But only in small batches as emergency stock.

That is the issue we are trying to prevent from happening, because if the can has the MI 10C on it, that means you can redeem it in the state of MI for .10 cents. And since no deposit was initially paid out for the item, the state looses money.... last year alone there was over 15 million $$ in fraudulent redemption in the State, because of these distributors spreading around the product that is only meant for States with deposit laws.... and Michigan unfortunately is the only one with a .10 cent deposit on all carbonated drink containers so makes us a target for this kind of fraud. If you do get caught redeeming an out of state can here in MI, you can get up to 5 years in prison and up to a $2,500.00 dollar fine :eek:...

B. Morse
 

sceadwian

Joined Jun 1, 2009
499
So what's the big deal? Put the deposit along the lines of the same 5cents most other states charge.
Another thing to think about... They lose 15 million in fraudulent claims, but the number of cans that don't get returned at all where they get an extra nickle compared to most other states nets them how much?
 

Thread Starter

BMorse

Joined Sep 26, 2009
2,675
So what's the big deal? Put the deposit along the lines of the same 5cents most other states charge.
Another thing to think about... They lose 15 million in fraudulent claims, but the number of cans that don't get returned at all where they get an extra nickle compared to most other states nets them how much?

Well if people who paid a deposit on it decide they don't want their dime back is their perogative (the money goes into an environmental fund anyway if not claimed, that is why our state highways are pretty clean compared to some others...), for someone to come in from another state and fraudulently take claim of it is wrong.

Either way I do not want this thread to turn out to be about the politics, the politics is what makes my job difficult as it is :mad:, I am trying to solve a problem and was just trying to get some insight from hopefully the neighboring states around Michigan, especially any members from Indiana, Ohio, and Wisconsin.....

B. Morse
 

Wendy

Joined Mar 24, 2008
23,415
I think hgmjr is from Ohio...

I recycle all my soda cans, not worth much but it adds up. I see a lot of folks collect them just for the recycle cash value around here.
 

TheFox

Joined Apr 29, 2009
66
None here. I'm loopy from lack of sleep, I thought the pictures were engraved "000" until I clicked on the images.
Not entirely true, out of three brands, I found the 10 cents in MI on a Dr. Peper, The mark you showed, however, was not there. Just;
E0145DP6
01 : 15
Also, it has 5 cents in VT NY IA MA OR CT
 

VoodooMojo

Joined Nov 28, 2009
505
I do get your concern about the unlawful distribution of the product. Bottlers, Distributors, Multi-Location Chain Gas Station and Convenient stores along the highway selling the product in their locations outside the state of Michigan.

I am guilty of purchasing these products while in Michigan, putting them in the cooler, and then discarding them along the roadsides of Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, etc.

I will keep an eye out for you.
 

FastEddie

Joined Jul 14, 2007
35
The cans I have here all have the MI 10 cent on the top, along with about 8 other states with the 5 cent. Pepsi even has an imprint of what I think is WV with a 1 in it. And CA CRV, whatever that is. But none have that symbol on the bottom, just a date code and some more numbers.
Now you got me wondering what that little colored dot means.
Brings back fond memories of standing in line at Meijers waiting for an open machine though.:)
 

JoeJester

Joined Apr 26, 2005
4,390
How much do you suspect is "gained" by those who don't return the cans at all?

hmgjr is in TN.

I'll look the next time I'm in Walmart.
 

Thread Starter

BMorse

Joined Sep 26, 2009
2,675
Now you got me wondering what that little colored dot means.
Brings back fond memories of standing in line at Meijers waiting for an open machine though.:)
The "mark" is supposed to be a "machine readable" mark that would show that this can was bought and sold here in Michigan.... But the problem I am having to deal with is the fact the state wants us to develop a system that can read the mark off of the bottom of the can, we are supposed to follow a very strict guideline in determining if the mark is an inclusive or exclusive mark, but the bottlers seem to be following a whole different set of guidelines when printing their marks on their products since none of them are even close to what the state specified, so all these containers are getting rejected anyways.... IMO, this does not solve anything, since the distributors who distribute across state borders are still dispersing these items outside of MI. Since all distributors will not carry different stocks of the same products to distribute to different states.

The cost of all this being done is going to be passed along to the consumer at some point since every retail store that has an RVM will have to fork out $15,000.00 to $20,000.00 for each machine to be retrofitted with these sensors the state is requiring them to put in or if they do not comply they will be fined.... and the state wants every retail store owner to pay this cost upfront!! Although they have some funding available to help the retailers out, but the funding is very limited and most of the big chain stores will most likely get all of it leaving nothing for the smaller retailers...

B. Morse
 

Thread Starter

BMorse

Joined Sep 26, 2009
2,675
Are you involved with this project, or are you concerned as a citizen?

I am actually knee deep in this $#!t..... I am involved through the company I run in Lansing, we manufacture RVM's (Reverse Vending Machines) these are automated deposited container recycling machines used by consumers at retail locations throughout Michigan and other deposited states + some parts of Canada.....

B. Morse
 

Thread Starter

BMorse

Joined Sep 26, 2009
2,675
I think hgmjr is from Ohio...

I recycle all my soda cans, not worth much but it adds up. I see a lot of folks collect them just for the recycle cash value around here.
That is a good thing Bill.... better than some states I drive through where the highways and byways are littered with cans and bottles....
B. Morse
 
Top