greenyes@earthsystems.org Archives: [GRRN] Refillable bottles

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I spent some time with my local recycling center employees. I am not =
referring to the management, but to the actual people who run the center =
on a day to day basis. When I asked them "what makes your job tough?", =
they specifically referred to the wine bottles that are separated for =
reuse.

Apparently, only three types of bottles are collected for reuse. The =
three types have significantly different shapes and I believed that I =
could follow the program and get my bottles into the right containers. =
However, it wasn't as easy as that.

The overall bottle shape is not really the issue (round peg, round =
hole). It is (primarily) the subtle differences in lip shape that =
seemed to cause the problem. When the workers showed me how many =
bottles they must remove from the bin that don't pass the detailed =
inspection they give, I was shocked. Admittedly, a number of those =
removed I had placed there moments earlier. These bottles are then =
recycled with the green glass.

I bring this up so that this issue is not overlooked in this discussion. =
The bottles available for reuse must be able to fit the machinery =
available to refill them and vice versa. If manufacturers want to use =
bottle shape as a marketing tool, then the refillable system is going to =
be tough.

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I spent some time with my local recycling center=20 employees. I am not referring to the management, but to the actual = people=20 who run the center on a day to day basis. When I asked them "what = makes=20 your job tough?", they specifically referred to the wine bottles that = are=20 separated for reuse.

Apparently, only three types of bottles are = collected for=20 reuse. The three types have significantly different shapes and I = believed=20 that I could follow the program and get my bottles into the right=20 containers. However, it wasn't as easy as that.

The overall bottle shape is not really the issue = (round peg,=20 round hole). It is (primarily) the subtle differences in lip shape = that=20 seemed to cause the problem. When the workers showed me how many = bottles=20 they must remove from the bin that don't pass the detailed inspection = they give,=20 I was shocked. Admittedly, a number of those removed I had placed = there=20 moments earlier. These bottles are then recycled with the green=20 glass.

I bring this up so that this issue is not overlooked = in this=20 discussion. The bottles available for reuse must be able to fit = the=20 machinery available to refill them and vice versa. If = manufacturers want=20 to use bottle shape as a marketing tool, then the refillable system is = going to=20 be tough.