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When these started to become ubiquitous….
…but hopefully, the haze sellers will also start to add themselves to the PakTech list of places where these little holders can be recycled. Maybe even have a punch card for each set that is returned so it can be re-used.
I am pretty geeky about craft beer, but I am also geeky about the industry that surrounds it. From specially crafted glasses with nucleation, to mobile canning, I am fascinated by the tech that goes with the beer.
That is why EcoKegs are an interesting development. Coming from Australia, they are plastic kegs that cut down on shipping weight and can also be sent one way and recycled when the last drop of beer has been drained.
I don’t think that they will take over the industry, but I do see this as a great way to import beers to other countries and to maybe cut keg costs (both the initial purchase and replacement of lost kegs).
Sounds like an interesting advance in beer technology.
Words like green, recycle, envio-friendly are seen alot in the craft beer industry. Primarily because you have to be a bit of a rebel to start a brewery. And, unfortunately, earth awareness, is still a fringe effort.
That is why I am all for ballooning a trend that I have heard about from various beer media sources. Captured by Porches Brewery in Portland charges extra (I believe $1) for their bottles. So you buy their Invasive Species IPA and it costs more. But! You can return the bottle to the brewery (unwashed) and you get your buck back.
The same deal for retailers who buy a bunch of Miskatonic Dark Rye.
Because the bottles cost a bit over a buck, CBP ends up not losing any money on the deal and they help the environment!
I think that any new brewery should be offered a tax incentive to enter this type of program. Or if money is a problem, how about offering speedee service on label approval in exchange for a bottle return program?
Every day we read about new breweries opening. Eagle Rock in California, Revolution in Illinois to name two. Imagine if all the breweries opening in 2010 came on board as a bottle return participant. That is a lot of glass being recycled.