How much Vermont bottle deposit money goes unclaimed?

$3.6 million in 2023. Source: NWRA Bottle Bill Escheats Summary Report (Dec 2025), Table 10, from Vermont Dept. of Taxes. Non-liquor unclaimed deposits go to the state Clean Water Fund.

What is the Vermont bottle return rate?

69.6% in 2024. This is the redemption rate. Source: Container Recycling Institute, Bottle Bill Resource Guide.

How many people in Vermont live in a redemption desert?

About 8,620 people. That is 1.3% of people in Vermont. 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 Vermont?

Our Vermont map has 221 return spots. Search by city or ZIP on the Vermont page.

Where can I return bottles in a rural Vermont county?

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

Redemption Deserts · Vermont

Vermont redemption deserts and unclaimed deposits

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

8,620people live in a redemption desert

1.3%of people in Vermont (rank 7 of 10)

$3.6 millionunclaimed deposits (2023)

69.6%redemption rate (2024)

How sure are we? Medium. We list grocery stores that are not on the state list of excused stores. Some may not take returns, so real access may be worse than shown.

Key findings for Vermont

About 8,620 of 643,077 people live in a redemption desert.
8,620 people live more than 10 miles from the closest return spot.
The typical trip is 1.4 miles in a straight line. 39.9% of people live within 1 mile.
Essex County is hardest hit. 46% of people there live in a desert.
$3.6 million in deposits went unclaimed in 2023.

Unclaimed money and return rate

Unclaimed deposits: $3.6 million (2023). Source: NWRA Bottle Bill Escheats Summary Report (Dec 2025), Table 10, from Vermont Dept. of Taxes. Non-liquor unclaimed deposits go to the state Clean Water Fund.
Return rate: 69.6% (2024), the redemption rate. Source: Container Recycling Institute, Bottle Bill Resource Guide.
Deposit: 5¢ (15¢ for liquor bottles over 50 ml).

Map of Vermont counties

Map loads as you scroll…

Worst counties

Vermont counties with the biggest share of people in a desert
County	People	In a desert	Share	Typical trip
Essex County	5,920	2,726	46%	7.5 mi
Caledonia County	30,233	2,882	9.5%	1.9 mi
Orange County	29,277	1,199	4.1%	4.4 mi
Addison County	37,363	1,260	3.4%	3.1 mi
Rutland County	60,572	553	0.9%	1.1 mi

Vermont towns and places where most people live in a desert
Town or place	People	In a desert	Share	Typical trip
Shoreham town	1,260	1,260	100%	10.6 mi
Topsham town	1,199	1,199	100%	10.9 mi
Ryegate town	1,165	1,165	100%	14.6 mi
Granby town	1,134	1,134	100%	11.1 mi

Best-served places

Vermont counties with the shortest typical trip
County	People	In a desert	Share	Typical trip
Chittenden County	168,323	0	0%	0.8 mi
Rutland County	60,572	553	0.9%	1.1 mi
Washington County	59,807	0	0%	1.2 mi
Bennington County	37,347	0	0%	1.4 mi
Lamoille County	25,945	0	0%	1.4 mi
Franklin County	49,946	0	0%	1.5 mi
Caledonia County	30,233	2,882	9.5%	1.9 mi
Orleans County	27,393	0	0%	2.1 mi

Vermont towns (20,000 people or more) with the shortest typical trip
Town or place	People	In a desert	Share	Typical trip
Essex town	22,094	0	0%	0.7 mi

Where to return bottles in rural Vermont 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 Vermont counties
County	Typical trip	Closest return spots
Essex County	7.5 mi	East Burke Market (East Burke, 11.3 mi) · Mike's Gas & Redemption (West Burke, 11.8 mi) · Kingdom Market (Brighton, 12.5 mi)
Grand Isle County	4.6 mi	Emmons Supermarket (Grand Isle, 5.2 mi) · Isle La Motte Country Store (Isle La Motte, 6 mi) · Beverage Mart (St. Albans, 10.2 mi)
Orange County	4.4 mi	Haggett Redemption (Chelsea, 2.8 mi) · Village Cannery of Vermont (Barre, 13.1 mi) · Valley Redemption (Bradford, 13.2 mi)
Addison County	3.1 mi	Lester Farm & Market (New Haven, 1.4 mi) · Middlebury Farmers' Market (Middlebury, 2.3 mi) · Greg's Meat Market (Middlebury, 2.9 mi)
Windham County	2.7 mi	Putney Food Co-op (Putney, 5.4 mi) · Hannaford (Brattleboro, 6.1 mi) · Discount Beverage Redemption Center (Brattleboro, 6.2 mi)
Windsor County	2.3 mi	Mike;s store (Hartland, 4.6 mi) · Woodstock Farmers' Market (Woodstock, 5.4 mi) · Mac's Woodstock Market (Woodstock, 5.6 mi)
Orleans County	2.1 mi	Royer's Mini Mart + Redemption (Irasburg, 2.1 mi) · Thibault's Market (Orleans, 3.7 mi) · Redemption Road (Coventry, 4.1 mi)
Caledonia County	1.9 mi	Market 32 (Saint Johnsbury, 3.3 mi) · Horizon's Beverage and Redemption (St. Johnsbury, 4.3 mi) · Natural Provisions (St. Johnsbury, 4.4 mi)

See all 221 Vermont 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 Vermont 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 Vermont list: Sources: Vermont DEC, Certified Redemption Centers and Retailer Exemptions lists, retrieved 2026-10-14; OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), retrieved 2026-10-14. Law: 10 V.S.A. chapter 53 (§§ 1521 to 1530).