How much Massachusetts bottle deposit money goes unclaimed?

$71.7 million in 2023. Source: NWRA Bottle Bill Escheats Summary Report (Dec 2025), Table 8, from Massachusetts Dept. of Revenue annual reports. All unclaimed deposits belong to the state. Most go to the General Fund.

What is the Massachusetts bottle return rate?

35% in 2024. This is the redemption rate. Source: Container Recycling Institute, Bottle Bill Resource Guide.

How many people in Massachusetts live in a redemption desert?

About 7,660 people. That is 0.1% of people in Massachusetts. A desert means the closest return spot is more than 10 miles away, or more than 3 miles in a crowded area.

Where are the redemption centers near me in Massachusetts?

Our Massachusetts map has 913 return spots. Search by city or ZIP on the Massachusetts page.

Where can I return bottles in a rural Massachusetts county?

The table on this page lists the closest return spots for the most rural counties. Call ahead before you drive.

Redemption Deserts · Massachusetts

Massachusetts redemption deserts and unclaimed deposits

Can people in Massachusetts get their deposit back? It depends on where they live. Here is how far people live from a place to return bottles and cans.

7,660people live in a redemption desert

0.1%of people in Massachusetts (rank 9 of 10)

$71.7 millionunclaimed deposits (2023)

35%redemption rate (2024)

How sure are we? Medium. We list grocery stores and big stores because the law says they must take returns. Some may not, so real access may be worse than shown.

Key findings for Massachusetts

About 7,660 of 7,029,917 people live in a redemption desert.
5,849 people live more than 10 miles from the closest return spot.
1,811 people live in crowded areas more than 3 miles from a return spot.
The typical trip is 0.8 miles in a straight line. 60.7% of people live within 1 mile.
Hampshire County is hardest hit. 1.9% of people there live in a desert.
$71.7 million in deposits went unclaimed in 2023.

Unclaimed money and return rate

Unclaimed deposits: $71.7 million (2023). Source: NWRA Bottle Bill Escheats Summary Report (Dec 2025), Table 8, from Massachusetts Dept. of Revenue annual reports. All unclaimed deposits belong to the state. Most go to the General Fund.
Return rate: 35% (2024), the redemption rate. Source: Container Recycling Institute, Bottle Bill Resource Guide.
Deposit: 5¢.

Map of Massachusetts counties

Map loads as you scroll…

Worst counties

Massachusetts counties with the biggest share of people in a desert
County	People	In a desert	Share	Typical trip
Hampshire County	162,308	3,040	1.9%	1.4 mi
Worcester County	862,111	2,809	0.3%	1.1 mi
Essex County	809,829	1,811	0.2%	0.9 mi

Massachusetts towns and places where most people live in a desert
Town or place	People	In a desert	Share	Typical trip
Barre town	5,530	2,809	50.8%	10.5 mi
Worthington town	1,578	1,578	100%	10.8 mi

Best-served places

Massachusetts counties with the shortest typical trip
County	People	In a desert	Share	Typical trip
Suffolk County	797,936	0	0%	0.3 mi
Middlesex County	1,632,002	0	0%	0.6 mi
Norfolk County	725,981	0	0%	0.8 mi
Essex County	809,829	1,811	0.2%	0.9 mi
Hampden County	465,825	0	0%	0.9 mi
Bristol County	579,200	0	0%	1 mi
Worcester County	862,111	2,809	0.3%	1.1 mi
Dukes County	20,600	0	0%	1.1 mi

Massachusetts towns (20,000 people or more) with the shortest typical trip
Town or place	People	Share	Typical trip
Brookline town	63,191	0%	0.3 mi
Stoneham town	23,244	0%	0.5 mi
Stoughton town	29,281	0%	0.5 mi
Arlington town	46,308	0%	0.6 mi
Needham town	32,091	0%	0.6 mi
Norwood town	31,611	0%	0.6 mi
Belmont town	27,295	0%	0.7 mi
Winchester town	22,970	0%	0.7 mi

Where to return bottles in rural Massachusetts counties

These are the most rural counties. We list the closest return spots to where most people live. Distances are straight-line. Call ahead.

Closest return spots for rural Massachusetts counties
County	Typical trip	Closest return spots
Franklin County	2.6 mi	Food City (Turners Falls, 1.9 mi) · Green River Liquors (Greenfield, 2.1 mi) · Stop & Shop (Greenfield, 2.1 mi)
Barnstable County	1.5 mi	Stop & Shop (Hyannis, 1.6 mi) · Shaw's (Hyannis, 1.7 mi) · Whole Foods Market (Hyannis, 2.2 mi)
Hampshire County	1.4 mi	Mixed Nuts Coop (Amherst, 2.2 mi) · Tran's World Food Market (Hadley, 2.5 mi) · Whole Foods Market (Hadley, 2.9 mi)
Berkshire County	1.3 mi	Big Lots (Pittsfield, 0.6 mi) · Berkshire Liquors & Variety (Pittsfield, 0.9 mi) · Stop & Shop (Pittsfield, 1 mi)
Dukes County	1.1 mi	Cronig's (Vineyard Haven, 2.1 mi) · Stop & Shop (Tisbury, 2.4 mi) · Cronig's (West Tisbury, 3.3 mi)
Nantucket County	1.1 mi	Stop & Shop (Nantucket, 0.4 mi) · Stop & Shop (Nantucket, 1.2 mi) · Sconset Market (Nantucket, 6.5 mi)

See all 913 Massachusetts return spots · Download county data (CSV)

How we did this

We used 2020 Census data on where people live. We found the closest return spot on our Massachusetts list in a straight line. A desert is more than 10 miles away, or more than 3 miles in a crowded area. Read the full method.

Our Massachusetts list: Sources: MassDEP, Find a Bottle & Can Redemption Center map, retrieved 2026-10-14; OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), retrieved 2026-10-14. Law: M.G.L. c. 94, §§ 321 to 327; 301 CMR 4.00.