I work within the redemption industry. Because of California's budget crisis, many redemption centers that the homeless took the recyclables too are closing. What most people don't know is that grocery stores that are not serviced by a redemption center, meaning they are not in a convenience zone, have to take back the empty containers. Like it or not. But because redemption centers were paid out of the unclaimed deposit fund by the state, most stores were able to avoid their responsibility. Well, that is rapidly changing. In Oregon and Michigan, as noted, which have excellent bottle bills, the stores are all required to redeem containers. Most use Reverse Vending Machines in order to deal with this responsibility. New York just past a law requiring that all stores that sell beverages, are a chain of 10 or more and are over 40,000 sq. ft. have 4 RVMs, 60,000 sq. ft. have 6 RVMs and 80,000 have 8 RVMs. That's every Wal-Mart, Target, Costco, etc. Also, other states that have return to retail have a daily limit on the amount that can be returned per person. In Oregon, only 144 containers can be returned daily. Natalie, Your heart is definitely in the right place, but your idea of using recycling fees toward helping the homeless won't work. The fees are needed for the extra steps needed to process recyclables. Also recyclable materials do not have the value that they did before the recession/depression hit. In California, recycling companies are loosing money; hence you will see more and more redemption centers closing. Learn more by visiting www.bottlebill.org. Keep up the good work and the good thoughts Natalie. We need people like you who are constantly looking for solutions and envisioning a better world!!