Alberta's drink container deposit is 10 or 25 cents, depending on the container's size, refunded at more than 220 independently owned bottle depots. In 2025 Albertans returned 2.2 billion of about 2.7 billion containers sold (82.5%), and 80.4% of plastic ones, according to the Beverage Container Management Board, the regulator appointed by the province.
Honest caveat: depots are private businesses, not charities. A drink you never buy in a single-use container still beats one returned for recycling.
How to start: abcrc.com/ (depot finder). Source: Beverage Container Management Board 2025 annual report, bcmb.ab.ca/uploads/source/Annual_Reports/2026.06.15.BCMB.2025.Annual.Report.pdf