A new way to recycle cans and bottles is coming to Hermiston in August.
The Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative (OBRC) will open its new recycle center in old Goodwill building at 740 West Hermiston Ave.
The center offers three ways to redeem deposit containers.
Self-serve machines: According to Cherilyn Bertges, public relations and outreach manager for the cooperative, the self-serve machines are reverse vending machines that are similar to what you see at a grocery store, but newer and faster. There are no crushers or compactors in the machines themselves, so they’re able to accept containers quickly, one after another. You can also put plastic, aluminum and glass in the same machine. The machine then diverts it back into a conveyor belt system where it is compacted by light industrial equipment. Machines will accept 350 containers per person, per day.
Hand count: Bertges said onsite staff will count up to 50 containers at a time using a customized hand count sink.
BottleDrop account: This method allows users to sign up for a BottleDrop account that gives them access to the cooperative’s green bags which can be filled at home with any type of deposit container and dropped off at the center anytime, 24/7. If the center is not open, green bags can be dropped through a secure drop door. Once dropped off, staff use machines to sort and count the containers in the bag. The money is then deposited in the consumer’s BottleDrop card. Account holders can drop off up to two bags per day, or up to 10 bags with an appointment.
Bertges said the BottleDrop card can be used to access the user’s account funds either at the Pay Station inside the BottleDrop Center, or at BottleDrop kiosks located inside all of the participating grocery stores. The BottleDrop Card is also what allows customers to open the secure, 24-hour drop door.
The participating grocery stores that will have the kiosk, and therefore stop accepting deposit containers onsite, are Fiesta Foods, Wal-Mart, Safeway, Bi-Mart, Rite Aid and possibly Big Lots.
Bertges said the center is expected to open on Aug. 26 and all participating stores will stop accepting cans and bottles on Sept. 9.
Bertges said the OBRC runs and manages the BottleDrop Center in partnership with the local, participating retailers. No state funding is utilized.
A rewards program called BottleDrop PLUS, is also available at some retailers like Safeway. If you have a BottleDrop account and access your funds at the kiosk inside the Safeway store, you can print a PLUS voucher that will give you 20 percent more money to spend in-store.
“So what many people do is sign up for an account, fill the green bags at home, drop them off anytime, and then access their funds the next time they go shopping,” said Bertges. “It’s just so easy and convenient.”
Bertges said it may take some time for consumers to get used to the new recycling process, but added that past experience tells her that users will come to embrace it.
“Change always takes a little effort, but I always encourage people to just come visit the BottleDrop Center,” she said. “Once you try it, you’ll love it.”
