In answer to my own post above, apparently there is continued legislation in Michigan requiring Coca-Cola and Miller and Bud and anyone who produces large quantities of beverages for consumption in Michigan has to have some separate and distinct “symbol or mark or other distinguishing characteristic” on the Michigan containers which aren’t on the non-Michigan containers. Obviously, this has angered just about all the major beverage companies, and the beverage manufacturers have challenged the law in federal court claiming that it is unconstitutional because it is extraterritorial and discriminatory in violation of the dormant commerce clause. A district court disagreed and found in favor of the state. A petition to the Supreme Court is inevitable. For now, the application of the law is stayed pending further review. But if the law is upheld, somehow, anyone falling into its scheme will be forced to set up a production line for the unique-mark containers.
FYI...Michigan enacted a law criminalizing the return of containers by anyone who knows that no deposit was paid in the state of Michigan on the container. The penalty is incremental, but the minimum is up to 93 days in prison or a fine of not more than $1,000. (minimum 100 containers returned).
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