Lockport Redemption Center
Automatic Counter on site!
Bottle Return Hours
Monday – Saturday 9:00am – 5:00pm
Sunday: Closed
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.
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!
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.
More info: What are Redemption Centers?
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.
More info: What Redemption Centers Accept
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.
More info: What Redemption Centers Accept
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.
More info: How Do Redemption Centers Make Money?
What is the Bottle Bill?
The New York State Returnable Containers Act aka, the Bottle Bill, is the state legislation that governs redeemable containers. Passed in 1982 and reformed in 2009, it lays out the guidelines for depositable recycling in New York State.
See this link for complete info on the New York Bottle Bill.
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.
More info: What Redemption Centers Accept
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.