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Lockport-Redemption-Center

Our Lockport Redemption Center Reviews

We are committed to being the best Lockport redemption center. With the cleanest centers and friendliest staff we can proudly call ourselves Western NY’s best locally owned.

Kip ReidKip Reid
21:15 09 Apr 22
Friendly staff the guys are always helpful.
Michelle O'ConnorMichelle O'Connor
16:43 13 Feb 22
Great place to return your bottles! Love the extra cent that give to community servants!
Carlos WilliamsCarlos Williams
00:08 05 Jan 22
Store owner and staff are great. I'm a regular customer from now on.
Adam HuczelAdam Huczel
19:02 01 Jan 22
The owner is super friendly and offers excellant service. Would highly reccomend!!
Lesley HuntingtonLesley Huntington
20:20 20 Oct 21
Great Place to return bottles! Staff was great and even came out to help grab the bags, they were super quick to count the 12 bags we brought in!! Would highly recommend if you’re looking for efficient and pleasant service.
Matt KolokowskyMatt Kolokowsky
16:21 08 Sep 21
First of all, if you have a lot of bottles and cans, supermarkets are slow and give nasty looks; they DON'T want your returns. All bottle and can places are faster and DO want your returns.Regarding Upstate specifically, they are more spacious than other places - multiple tables with multiple people counting. They also give SIX cents per can or bottle in certain cases - FREE MONEY!I've been here 3 times so far, each with huge loads. Each time there were no lines & quick counting. Thumbs up!
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Lockport Bottle Return FAQ

Who we are?
We are on a mission to be the best redemption centers in Buffalo, NY. Until now, recycling redemption has been a dirty time-consuming chore that no one wants to do! At Upstate, we have the fastest counters, the friendliest service and the cleanest centers possible. We guarantee when you come to us you will never go to another lockport redemption center again.
What do we accept?
We buy back anything with a NYS 5 cent redemption mark on it. If you are unsure, check the lable of your bottle or can; or the top of the can. It will have the states that you can redeem the item in listed. 
What don't we accept?
  • Non-deposit bottles & cans
    • Gatorade
    • Iced Teas
    • Juice
    • Milk, etc. Our buyer’s plant does not process non-deposits.
  • Kegs
  • Growlers
  • Water cooler jugs
  • Crumpled or crunch items
  • Wrapperless items

Why no crushed or wrapperless items?

We have to sell the bottles and cans back based on average bag capacity per the size of the item. So, if we put crushed cans in our bags we are putting in a lot more than the average bag capacity and lose money. If we don’t have wrappers to identify the item, we can’t put it with the correct bags to be properly accounted. 

 

How do we make money?
When the governor implemented the 2009 New York Bottle Bill, he knew the demand to return would be heavy. So, stores and redemption centers were incentivized to help by issuing a handling fee for every bottle and can taken in.

We make our money off the resale, not off of you. 

Do we take all recycling?

In a way, Our Lockport Redemption Center cannot take in non-drink related recycling. Our buyer takes back drinking receptacles only. However, we will recycle the bags and cardboard that you bring your recycling in. This alone fills our dumpster and most of our locations to do not have enough space to accept all recyclable materials. The Waste Management bill alone would be too high not to charge money for it. Sorry!

If you are unsure of where or how to recycle something we recommend checking out buffalorecycles.org.

Does it matter where I bought them?

No.

The role of a bottle return center in the recycling process is not only to take in recycling but to sort it as well. Materials get sorted into bags by bottling company, material and size. They are then ready for resale and the deposit makes its way back to the right place.

However, if the bottle or can was purchased in a non-deposit state, we cannot pay for it as there was never a deposit on it to begin with.

What makes it depositable or not?

The truth… we are uncertain. We were unable to dig up any reliable answers to that question. The best we have for you right now is basically water and carbonated drinks such as beer, soda & energy drinks have deposit.

Non-carbonated drinks such as juice, Gatorade, wine & liquor do not have deposits. There are exceptions to this “guide”. Just check to see if there is a NY 5 cent tag on your receptacle and it will tell you.

 

What if my bags are gross?
We know your bottles and cans might get dirty & sticky from time to time and it’s OK, we have gloves! We just ask that you try your best not mix in excess garbage. However, for sanitary reasons we cannot accept insect infected bags or rotting food.
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