- Any brewery packaging beer in rigid plastic can carriers or plastic film rings should have a formal take-back program acknowledging that they are NOT curbside recyclable and encouraging consumers to return them to a brewery for re-use or proper recycling.
- A successful program will actively promote its efforts through social media posts and with a visible sign or collection bin in the taproom. Above and beyond would be a blog post or website page that explains the brewery’s take-back policy and its commitment to doing right by the environment.
- Breweries planning to re-use carriers should provide specific details about their take-back policy, i.e. “we accept carriers in good condition, only 4-packs, of certain color(s), free of stickers, etc.
- Some breweries have even offered consumer incentives similar to a bottle deposit scheme for their carrier take-back programs, such as refunding them 5 cents per carrier.
- Others have partnered with nearby liquor stores or restaurants who save can carriers and return them to the brewery for re-use.
- Collected carriers intended for re-use should be properly cleaned and sanitized in a standard commercial dishwasher or with an antibacterial detergent solution in a utility sink.
- Breweries that don’t re-use should still offer a take-back program, and initiate a donation program that shares their collected carriers with neighboring breweries that do re-use.
- Excess or damaged can carriers and rings should be sent for proper recycling through one of these channels:
- If in Metro Boston, collaborate with one of the 4 breweries participating in the pilot collection program with GreenLabs Recycling.
- Make an arrangement with its packaging provider to accept specified quantities of carriers to take back to its warehouse and eventually be delivered to a recycling processor.
- Collect a gaylord box full (approximately 12,000) and deliver it to a recycling processor such as Stockbridge Plastics through prior arrangement.
- Flimsy film six-pack rings can be mailed back to the manufacturer through the free RingRecycleMe program.
- Contact Rob at MassBrewBros@gmail.com or EcoFriendlyBeerDrinker@gmail.com for help with logistics in arranging a pickup or drop off, finding a recycling processor, establishing a donation program with nearby breweries, or otherwise collaborating with other breweries on logistical solutions.
- Breweries should record/estimate the amount of carriers they reuse (and the corresponding savings in packaging expense) and recycle annually for data collection and promotional purposes.
Related: Can Carrier Recycling Fact Sheet