Everything you need to know about our service — and a few things Carl insisted on adding.
Carl reviewed these answers. He had opinions.
The Service
Yes. Our pickup service is completely free. You keep every cent of your bottle and can deposits — the full 5 or 15 cents per container goes straight to you. We charge nothing for coming to your door.
Carl says: "Yes it's free. No there's no catch. Yes I'm still annoyed about something. These things are unrelated."
Nope. Just leave your bags outside and we'll get them. That's the whole beauty of it — you don't have to do a thing except bag them up. Just let us know a safe spot where we can leave your money.
Carl says: "You don't even need to be home. Which is good because some of you aren't great company."
We accept all valid Maine returnable bottles and cans — beer, soda, water, juice, and other beverages with a valid Maine deposit. Keep in mind that not every container with a Maine label is redeemable — some are not valid returnables. If you're not sure, include them anyway and we'll sort it out on pickup.
Before we pick up, please make sure your containers are:
Must have a valid Maine deposit — no out-of-state containers
Empty of all liquid and contents — no exceptions
Label must be on — we cannot redeem unlabeled containers
Not crushed — bottles and cans must be in their original shape to be accepted
Must be bagged — loose bottles on the ground will not be picked up
No garbage, trash, or food waste mixed in with your bottles
No broken glass
Containers that don't meet these requirements cannot be redeemed and will be left behind.
Do I need to separate bottles and cans by type? Nope — throw them all in together. We sort everything ourselves. Just bag them up and leave them out.
Carl says: "Empty. Label on. Not crushed. Bagged. Four things. You can do four things."
We pay cash on the spot. If you prefer Venmo that works too — just let us know. If you won't be home, tell us in your request notes where to leave your money and we'll take care of it.
Yes there is a minimum — 4 kitchen bags or 2 construction bags. Whether you're at the minimum or have a truckload, just let us know roughly how many bags you have in your request so we can plan accordingly.
Scheduling & Timing
Here's the full process after you submit:
1. You're on our list — we'll reach out if we need any details. 2. Bag up your bottles and leave them outside in an agreed spot. 3. We stop by, count everything, and pay you on the spot — cash or Venmo. 4. Not home? Just let us know where to leave your money in the request notes and we'll take care of it.
Carl says: "Bag 'em up, leave 'em out, go live your life. We will get there eventually."
Three easy ways: fill out the pickup request form on our request page, message us on Facebook, or call or text us at (207) 263-4593. However you reach out, we'll be in touch about when to expect us.
We wish we could. We run routes across a large area of Downeast Maine and our schedule depends on weather, road conditions, and volume. We cannot always give you a specific time or even a specific day — but once you reach out, you're on our route and we give you as much notice as we can. We appreciate your patience.
Carl says: "We can't give you an exact time or day. Maine doesn't give us an exact day either. We're all doing our best."
We do our best but safety comes first. If there's a snowstorm or it's pouring rain, you can assume we won't be there until the next good day. No need to call or message — we'll get there when the weather clears.
Carl says: "One day snow. Next day mud. Maine weather doesn't follow a schedule. Neither do we sometimes. That's just Maine."
We can't always give you an exact day or time, so the best approach is to just bag your bottles up and leave them out once you've reached out. If we need any details — or if you've asked us to give you a heads up — we'll reach out by text or email, whichever you prefer. That's why we ask for both on the form.
We don't run a set recurring schedule. We prefer you message us when you have a good amount built up and we'll come get them. No need to wait for a specific day — just reach out when you're ready.
Coverage Area
We serve Milbridge to Eastport and the towns in between across Downeast Maine. If you're not sure whether we cover your area, go ahead and submit a request and we'll let you know.
Possibly. Submit a request with your town and we'll let you know if we can make it work. We're always looking to expand our routes.
Yes we do! Just message us with the date you're looking at and we'll let you know if it's available. We'll work with you to make it happen.
Occasionally. We're a family business and we treat people well — but if a customer is disrespectful or impatient, we have no problem ending that relationship and telling them to Shove It. We have a Chief Complaint Officer named Carl who handles those situations. He also has a song about it on Spotify.
Carl says: "Shove It. That's my professional opinion. Also available on Spotify."
General
Standard garbage bags work great. Please tie your bags — loose bottles slow everything down. Just have them ready and accessible outside.
Carl says: "Tie your bags. That's it. That's the whole tip."
Carl is our Chief Complaint Officer. He was hired after years of impatient customers threatened to start their own redemption center. He handles every complaint personally and has recorded 4 original songs on Spotify, including his debut hit Shove It. Meet Carl here →
Tap Carl!