ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Have you ever wondered why some bottles and cans are worth a nickel when you return them, while others aren’t? News10NBC looked into it for this Good Question.

Jeffrey wants to know: “Why aren’t all cans & bottles redeemable? They’re all made of the same materials.”

Sunnking Sustainable Solutions, a recycling company based in Brockport, says there are a couple of factors that determine if an item can be redeemed. First, consumption rates play a role. Non-carbonated tea, sports drinks, and juice are not as popular as soda or water, and therefore are not redeemable.

Next, access to recycling facilities is a factor. Sunnking says some plastics are not redeemable because of how difficult it may be to recycle and reuse them.

The DEC’s website explains the state’s “Returnable Container Act,” also called the Bottle Bill. It states, “If a store carries only the 16 oz. container of brand x, it does not have to redeem other sizes of that brand or containers from other brands that it doesn’t carry.”

Sunnking says that all recyclables are not made of the same materials. The symbol with three arrows is called the “resin identification code” and the number in the middle indicates what material it’s made of. Most beverage bottles are either one or two.

While there are still plenty of bottles and cans that don’t have a deposit, Sunnking says New York’s recycling redemption program has reduced waste from beverage containers by 70%.

If you have a good question you’d like answered, send an email to GoodQuestion@whec.com.

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