Bottle Drive Tips

Here is information you'll find on our site:

• Which empty beverage containers are accepted and what the deposit refunds are.
• Inform you of the required quantities and container types per bag for faster redemption.
• We will provide resources to help you with your bottle drive.

• Central Site Collection | Find a good central location like a field, church, or parking lot and let the beverage containers come to you.
• Neighbourhood Pick-Up | It's kind of like door-to-door but with a twist.  Drop off flyers in your community that ask people to leave their containers in front of their houses. When your event day comes, simply swing by and pick them up.
• Fundraising Account | Head down to our Depot and ask to have an account set up for your group.  Anytime a member of your group or community returns containers, the money will go straight to your group's fundraising account.

• Once you have decided on the date, the area, and the collection method, you can coordinate the publicity. This is essential for a successful bottle drive.
• Promote your cause such as: buying sports equipment, financing a trip, helping in a building program, or supporting a charity.
• Print simple flyers with:
  • Name of your organization
  • Reason for bottle drive
  • Date of bottle drive
  • Time for collection
  • Collection method (door-to-door or central location)
  • List of what you are collecting
  • Telephone number people can call for information
• Make sure every member of your group has flyers to take home.
• Write a short announcement of the event, including the information on the flyer and send it to the community events page of your local newspaper and to the public service announcement departments at local radio and television stations.

The most effective method of distributing information is delivery of door-to-door notices. If you have the volunteers to do this, you should deliver the notices twice, one month before the drive and the week of the drive.

• Get social - create a Facebook event for your drive and invite as many people as possible.  Use Twitter and email too!

• If you have chosen a door-to-door or neighbourhood pick-up collection, divide the area into sections and assign collectors, drivers, and vehicles to these areas.
• If you have chosen a central site or depot drop-off, have a team onsite to greet people bringing in donations, and facilities for handling empty containers until you're ready to deliver them to our bottle depot or have them picked up.
• Make sure packers follow the guide according to size and type. Soft drink and juice containers must be kept separate from containers for beer and other alcohol beverages.

Glass bottles should be packaged in cardboard boxes, in any quantity and sizes, making sure the number can be easily checked.

Have enough volunteers on hand to sort containers.  This will help make your bottle drive day efficient.

For further assistance and instructions, contact us at 250.545.5706.