Bottles and Cans

The Troop has built a shed at the Bolton Transfer Station to sort returnable bottles and cans deposited in the shed by Bolton residents.  This handout describes the procedures to be followed by Scouts and their parents when it is their turn to sort.

Sorting redeemable bottles and cans is the Troop’s primary source of funds. These funds help offset the cost of camping trips, purchase and repair equipment, pay for advancement materials, and more.  As a member of Troop 1, you have an important role to play in keeping the Troop on a secure financial footing. 

Bottles & Cans Coordinator

Mrs. Candy Bowe

email: bowe_family@verizon.net

Tel.: 978-779-2911

Figuring out when it is your turn

The Scout is responsible for ensuring that he shows up on the day he is scheduled to sort or haul.  The schedule is posted on the troop website and it is announced at each Tuesday’s meeting.

http://troop1bolton.org/archives/category/bottles-and-cans-schedule

This page is password protected.  The Password is “bolton<qnyyyy>”, where n = calendar quarter and yyyy is Year.  For example, for the second quarter of 2010 the password is boltonq22010

Before you go

Before heading to the shed:

• Prior to the weekend you are scheduled to sort, give the other member of the sorting team a call to verify that he is coming and to arrange a time to meet. It is expected that both Scouts will sort at the same time.  There is an expectation, that the Scouts assigned will sort all of the containers deposited in the shed through the closing of the Transfer Station at 3:00 pm on Saturday.  That is when the job is done.

Two Scouts are assigned to sort most weekends; three Scouts may be assigned following some holiday weekends, when a larger volume of bottles and cans is expected. 

Parents are not explicitly assigned, but it is expected that a parent of each Scout will assist in order to comply with the Scouting program’s “Two Deep” adult coverage requirement, to ensure the safety of our Scouts, to assist with broken glass containers, to help in the very unlikely event that medical aid is required, and to attend to the occasional garbage bag that is left in the shed. 

Your sorting team can come when it wants, but you need to stay until the job is done.  If you leave before the job is done, you will be required to return the following weekend to help the next team.  You can remain at the Transfer Station after hours; just make sure to close the gate securely when you leave. Similarly, the team may choose to sort on Sunday if your team cannot make it on Saturday.  The Troop has permission to be at the Transfer Station when it is closed to the general public.  Just make sure you close the gate securely behind you when you enter and exit the Transfer Station.

If you are unable to sort due to a conflict, it is up to the Scout to find another Scout to trade with ahead of time.  This trade must be communicated in advance to the Bottles and Cans Coordinator

• Collect beer case boxes from local convenience and package stores. These boxes are required to organize the glass bottles that are returned to the redemption center.  It is the responsibility of each team member to bring as many boxes as they can collect – a minimum of 25 per Scout is expected. You can never have too many.  If you leave the collection of boxes for the last minute, chances are you will not able to find enough to complete the sorting.  

Good sources for these boxes are: 

• Firewater on Forbush Mill Road
• Country Cupboard on Main Street
• Colonial Spirits in the Shaw’s plaza in Stow
• Bacon’s Wine and Spirits in Hudson

When dealing with local businesses, the boys should make the request for the boxes and make it clear that they are being used for fundraising and community service (and not, say, for moving).  Please remember to be polite and courteous, as another Scout will inevitably be visiting that business for more boxes in the future.

Please do not collect or use wine or copier paper boxes.  The beer boxes must be dry and cannot be broken down or collapsed.

• Check the weather. While it is possible to get out of the weather and sort inside the shed, it is often more convenient to sort outside.  Thus, you need to plan to dress accordingly.
• Bring a snack and a drink.
•  If you are allergic to Wasps and are sorting during the summer, bring a can of spray with you, as it may be necessary.

How sorting works

Always sort with the other Scout who is assigned that weekend.

Put on a pair of latex gloves; you should find a supply in the shed.  We strongly suggested that hands be covered at all times. Any way you slice it, sorting is a dirty job.

All containers must bear the returnable in MA indication on them.   

A generally good rule of thumb is that if the beverage is carbonated then the container is returnable.  If the beverage is not carbonated it is usually not returnable.

Returnable containers are sorted in to different containers according to the following guidelines:

1. Aluminum cans (not acceptable: ice tea, non-carbonated water, fruit tomato juice, and  Gatorade like drinks)
2. Single serving plastic (not acceptable: ice tea, non-carbonated water, fruit tomato juice, and Gatorade like drinks)
3. Liter and Quart size plastic (not acceptable: ice tea, non-carbonated water, fruit tomato juice, and Gatorade like drinks)
4. 2 Liter and larger plastic (not acceptable: ice tea, non-carbonated water, fruit tomato juice, and Gatorade like drinks)
5. Glass carbonated soft drink, water, juice and beer bottles (not broken)

Returnable glass bottles

• Returnable/redeemable glass bottles are placed in the case boxes you brought, 24 bottles to a box. Use only beer case boxes (not, for example wine or copier paper boxes ).  
• 12 bottle boxes are acceptable as well. 
• Before using a box, make sure that it is solid and not wet.
• Larger size bottles, such as Apollinaris, should be collected in separate boxes.  Do not intermix with standard beer bottles.
• Filled boxes are stacked against the back and right shed walls.  Make sure the stack is stable.
• Special Note:  San Pellegrino bottles are not being accepted by our redemption center.  Thus, these glass bottles should not be sorted and instead should be dumped in to the colored glass recycling container at the Transfer Station.

Returnable aluminum cans and plastic

• Do not crush the cans.
• Do not crush the plastic bottles.  They must have a label on them identifying the product and that they are eligible for MA redemption.
• Before placing containers in the sorting bins, make sure that each bin is lined with a large plastic bag.  You will find a supply of the plastic bags in the sorting shed.
• Returnable cans (typically soda and beer cans) and plastic bottles (soda and sparkling water) are placed in one of the sorting bins in the sorting shed.  Each bin is marked to hold a particular type of container.
• When a bin is filled to the top, remove the bag from the bin. You will see that there is still quite a bit of room in the bag.  Keep filling until the bag is nearly full, but leave enough room to tie the top of the bag securely.
• Line the empty sorting bin with another liner
• Store full bags outside the shed until the sorting is completed.
• Pile the full bags back in the shed when the sorting is done, ensuring that the beer bottle stacks remain secure and that the door to the shed can be opened.

Are we done yet?

You are done when there are no bottles and cans left to sort after the Transfer Station closes at 3:00 pm.  In general, except on very busy weekends, a good crew can get the job done in less than 2 hours.

Closing up activities that must be performed include:

• The shed is swept clean
• All of the supplies and containers stored away neatly.
• Non-Redeemable glass (such as wine and hard liquor), plastic and tin and aluminum containers must be deposited in the proper recyclable containers at the Transfer Station
• Corrugated cardboard should be thrown in the cardboard recycling bin
• All other cardboard (six-pack packaging, for example) and paper (paper bags, for example) go in the mixed paper recycling bin
• Plastic bags and all other trash must be put in the trash compactors.  No sticker is required for trash collected by the Scouts during the sorting process.  Scouts must use caution if walking to the recycling bins.
• Closing Inventory – before you leave, take an inventory of:
  • Check the supply of gloves and plastic bags. Is there enough of both for the following week?
  • Count the number of sorted beer bottle cases
  • Count the number of full bags that need to be hauled
  • Count the number of empty beer cases left in the shed
  • Email or call this information in to the Bottles and Cans Coordinator
  • Report this information at the following week’s Troop meeting.

Hauling

Hauling is done, typically on Saturdays, by assigned Scouts and parents.  When the shed is full of sorted and bagged/boxed bottles and cans (as reported at Tuesday’s meeting), the assigned hauling team should haul at the earliest opportunity.  This ensures that the Troop gets the money that it has worked for, and that Scouts have room to work in the shed while sorting.   Scouts assigned to haul, are not assigned to sort.  Haulers should have access to pickup truck and the multiple runs may be required.  The sorted containers are brought to Son Redemption Center at 175 Cambridge Street in Worcester, Tel, (508-756-1553) (Exit 12 west off Route 290).   The redemption center closes at 3PM on Saturdays.  The cash received from Son’s is handed to Wes Durant at the following Tuesday Scout meeting for deposit to the Troop’s account.

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