# What happens if you put a full can of soda into the can return machine? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 13, 2011, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-you-put-a-full-can-of-soda-into-the-can-return-machine/574571 "2011-03-13T19:20:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2011, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-you-put-a-full-can-of-soda-into-the-can-return-machine/574571/21 "2011-03-15T15:16:53Z")
> [@Nicolas\_Bourbaki](#): > > Never saw them until I moved to Oregon. In California I think you hafta go down to the recycling plant yourself. That’s what we do. We load up the returnables (which we have squashed) and take them to the center where they are weighed and we’re paid for the weight. It’s interesting that the state collects a “deposit” on the cans and bottles, but when I return them, I get the recyclable value of the material. I guess the state keeps the original deposits. I can’t help but wonder if the machines with all the syrup and beer from the cans attract hoards of ants and such. They must be a real mess. ---
**Author:** ![gazpacho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6f9a4e/32.png) [@gazpacho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gazpacho)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2011, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-you-put-a-full-can-of-soda-into-the-can-return-machine/574571/22 "2011-03-15T15:41:16Z")
Redeeming bottles and cans has always seemed to me to be way more trouble than it is worth. I just put them out in the curb side recycling. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2011, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-you-put-a-full-can-of-soda-into-the-can-return-machine/574571/23 "2011-03-15T15:59:30Z")
We have those machines here in MA too, mostly in supermarkets. The law here is that if a store sells anything with a deposit (beer or carbonated beverage), they have to take back the bottles or cans back & refund the deposit too. The machines must be more cost effective than having a full time person counting the bottles, checking to make sure none are from New Hampshire, and returning the money. The glass bottle machines are the best - it breaks the bottles, so it sounds like a bar fight as you feed them in. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2011, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-you-put-a-full-can-of-soda-into-the-can-return-machine/574571/24 "2011-03-15T16:07:03Z")
> [@chorpler](#): > > [Ask this woman](http://www.woodtv.com/dpp/news/michigan/Pop-goes-the-tax-payers-Bridge-Card-), who did this with 42 unopened cans and bottles of soda she bought with her food stamp card (and made a huge lake of soda in the store) in order to convert them to $4.20 in cash. I’m wondering what you could buy with $4.20. 85% of a nickel bag of …something? How much does Thunderbird run these days? ---
**Author:** ![TravisFromOR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cc9497/32.png) [@TravisFromOR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TravisFromOR)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2011, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-you-put-a-full-can-of-soda-into-the-can-return-machine/574571/25 "2011-03-15T19:31:35Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > I’m wondering what you could buy with $4.20. 85% of a nickel bag of …something? How much does Thunderbird run these days? It’s for the booze. You can get a 40 oz bottle of [del]pee[/del] malt liquor for about $2.50. We have our societal leaches come in to our store and do it all the time. Our cashiers are instructed to refuse the sale of more than two cases of water if the person is paying with foodstamps. ---
**Author:** ![TravisFromOR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cc9497/32.png) [@TravisFromOR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TravisFromOR)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2011, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-you-put-a-full-can-of-soda-into-the-can-return-machine/574571/26 "2011-03-15T19:34:03Z")
> [@gazpacho](#): > > Redeeming bottles and cans has always seemed to me to be way more trouble than it is worth. I just put them out in the curb side recycling. Nickle a piece in Oregon. It takes about fifteen minutes to redeem $15 worth of bottles. You’re at the store anyway. Why throw your money out in the trash. > [@muldoonthief](#): > > We have those machines here in MA too, mostly in supermarkets. The law here is that if a store sells anything with a deposit (beer or carbonated beverage), they have to take back the bottles or cans back & refund the deposit too. The machines must be more cost effective than having a full time person counting the bottles, checking to make sure none are from New Hampshire, and returning the money. > > The glass bottle machines are the best - it breaks the bottles, so it sounds like a bar fight as you feed them in. I love feeding the glass machine! Simple things amuse me, I guess… ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2011, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-you-put-a-full-can-of-soda-into-the-can-return-machine/574571/27 "2011-03-15T19:43:47Z")
> [@TravisFromOR](#): > > It’s for the booze. You can get a 40 oz bottle of [del]pee[/del] malt liquor for about $2.50. We have our societal leaches come in to our store and do it all the time. Our cashiers are instructed to refuse the sale of more than two cases of water if the person is paying with foodstamps. Ah-ha. Forgot about the 40s. (It’s been illegal to sell single beers in DC for a year or so.) ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2011, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-you-put-a-full-can-of-soda-into-the-can-return-machine/574571/28 "2011-03-15T20:02:26Z")
> [@gazpacho](#): > > Redeeming bottles and cans has always seemed to me to be way more trouble than it is worth. I just put them out in the curb side recycling. Depends on your income level. When I was a rat-poor college student with no cash but lots and lots of empty beer cans, it made a lots of sense. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2011, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-you-put-a-full-can-of-soda-into-the-can-return-machine/574571/29 "2011-03-15T20:49:37Z")
> [@](#): > > The machines are designed to deal with some sticky residue because no one rinses their cans out. (raises hand) I do. We wash out the containers for recycling already, and when I bring back bags full of cans I don’t want to deal with sticky yecchy residue, so I rinse out the soda cans and invert them to drain, along with the other recyclables. ---
**Author:** ![typoink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@typoink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/typoink)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2011, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-you-put-a-full-can-of-soda-into-the-can-return-machine/574571/30 "2011-03-15T20:55:03Z")
Nothing useful to add to the conversation, but when I scanned this thread title, I misunderstood the question as “What happens if you poured a full can of soda into the coin slot on the can machine?” Now I want the answer to THAT question. It must come up, especially on pop machines in junior highs… ---
**Author:** ![mozchron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@mozchron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mozchron)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2011, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-you-put-a-full-can-of-soda-into-the-can-return-machine/574571/31 "2011-03-15T21:38:18Z")
For my first real job 20 years ago, I worked at a grocery store that had these machines. One of my jobs was to empty them of the crushed cans. Occasionally some joker would put a full can (or bottle) into the machine. What happens? It makes a goddam mess is what happens. Nothing like getting covered with week-old rotten soda on a 100+ degree July day :mad: ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2011, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-you-put-a-full-can-of-soda-into-the-can-return-machine/574571/32 "2011-03-17T02:21:54Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Never saw those machines before. We have curbside recycling here; glass and plastic go in blue bags. You have to take your paper to big collection boxes at a local school or library. I’m 32 and have had curbside recycling since I was a kid. We still take the cans back to the store, though. You just put them in the machine and get money for them. It takes almost not time at all. I didn’t even know you could put soda/beer cans out for curbside recycling. Never occurred to me. ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2011, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-you-put-a-full-can-of-soda-into-the-can-return-machine/574571/33 "2011-03-17T18:23:06Z")
> [@Morgenstern](#): > > That’s what we do. We load up the returnables (which we have squashed) and take them to the center where they are weighed and we’re paid for the weight. > It’s interesting that the state collects a “deposit” on the cans and bottles, but when I return them, I get the recyclable value of the material. I guess the state keeps the original deposits. Are you sure about that? Back when I was turning stuff in for recycling in CA, they’d count out the individual cans if you had a few, but they’d weigh it if you had a bunch. You’d still get 5c per can (the deposit), because they know how much an aluminum can weighs. I’m guessing that a used can is not actually worth as much as 5c in materials. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2011, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-you-put-a-full-can-of-soda-into-the-can-return-machine/574571/34 "2011-03-17T18:49:20Z")
> [@Alan\_Smithee](#): > > I’ve lived in several states, and I’ve never seen anything like that. :dubious: Folks prob’ly talk funny where you’re from, too, don’t they? > > 😉 Me, too. It’s a mystery to me. And I have lived in these states: Illinois California Florida Louisiana Maryland Massachusetts Virginia Iowa Ohio A mystery. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-you-put-a-full-can-of-soda-into-the-can-return-machine/574571.md?page=1)