Can Shed employee Ben Kilburg empties a bag of plastic bottles and aluminum cans into a sorting machine at the Can Shed in southwest Cedar Rapids on Aug. 12. Can Shed launched the BottleDrop Iowa program at its locations in June. 600 people signed up to drop off a QR bag and get paid electronically for the recyclables they returned. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)
The new BottleDrop Iowa program, recently launched by Can Shed, makes aluminum and plastic container disposal easier by allowing customers to use an app to drop off leftover containers during the day or night.
The program is an app-based option, in addition to Can Shed’s self-service vending machines and bulk programs at four of its drop-off locations in Cedar Rapids, Hiawatha, Marion and Iowa City. The Manchester location does not currently have the newest program.
Troy Willard, owner and COO of Can Shed, said he had wanted to add the app for some time, and when Iowa’s bottle tax law was updated in 2023 — increasing processing fees for drop-off centers from 1 cent to 3 cents per container — it seemed like a good time to explore the possibilities.
He based the Iowa program on Oregon’s BottleDrop program, which has “millions” of users nationwide, Willard said.
Iowa’s bottle deposit law applies to all carbonated and alcoholic beverages. This includes beer, wine, spirits, bottled water and “similar carbonated soft drinks.”
After the law was updated, Willard said that the state-regulated kombucha containers would also be subject to the deposit law because kombucha is naturally carbonated through fermentation.
“Good growth” of the app
The BottleDrop app went live on June 1, and Willard said he has seen “good growth” in its usage.
He believes the app will continue to improve as more people learn about the program. The app-based program sends out about 60 to 70 bags a week, and so far 600 users have signed up.
It is possible that not all of these 600 users are actually dropping off bags yet, as there is a time lag between signing up, collecting cans or containers, and picking up the QR-coded bags required to participate in the app program.
Willard is aware that the app may not be suitable for those who want or need the money immediately. And there is some cost associated with purchasing the bags with QR codes that can be filled with recyclable cans and bottles and then scanned to pay.
Those who sign up for the BottleDrop Iowa app must pack their recyclables in clear plastic bags (above) with a QR code. The QR bags cost 20 cents each and are sold in rolls of 10 for $2 plus tax. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)
It couldn’t be easier
The app is just another way to make recycling easier, Willard said.
He sees it as an option for apartment or dorm residents who may have no other way to recycle. The extended drop-off window and extended opening hours could be more convenient.
And the app could also be more interesting for younger people who use similar payment apps mainly for their daily living expenses.
Anyone using the program must first download the BottleDrop app to their smartphone, create an account, and then purchase bags for the aluminum or plastic containers at a Can Shed facility.
Glass bottles are not accepted in the app program.
Willard said the QR code bags cost about 20 cents each and are sold in rolls of 10 for $2 plus tax.
There is a processing fee of 25 cents for each bag, which means a 25 cent reduction in the amount returned to the customer.
However, this is offset by the fact that there are no queues and there are longer opening hours for baggage drop-off – from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week and on holidays, he stressed.
The outdoor drop-off station for the BottleDrop Iowa program is seen at the Can Shed in southwest Cedar Rapids on Aug. 12. The drop-off site is open seven days a week and holidays from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. App users open the door with their QR code to return their QR bags of recyclables. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)
Troy Willard, owner of Can Shed, demonstrates the return kiosk for the BottleDrop Iowa take-back program at his store in southwest Cedar Rapids on Aug. 12. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)
An added convenience is that cans and plastics can be mixed in the QR bags. When using the self-service machines or the bulk bag options, cans, plastic and glass must be separated.
To receive payment for the recyclable waste, users must link their account to a payment service such as Venmo, PayPal, or a user’s bank account for direct deposit.
The drop-off bags must be linked to the user account by scanning the QR code printed on the bags. The bags can be dropped off at any BottleDrop location. The customer’s QR code can be scanned to open the door behind which the bags can be dropped off.
Willard said users can expect payments within 10 business days, which is required by law. Bags are often processed and credited to the customer’s account within three or four days, but it can take longer, Willard said.
There are about 119 can and bottle drop-off locations in the state, according to an interactive map on the Iowa Department of Natural Resources website. Another company, Droplett, offers a similar app-based program in central Iowa.
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A QR code scanner lights up on a plastic bag as recyclable cans and plastic bottles are scanned at the Can Shed in Cedar Rapids on Aug. 12. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)
